Friendship Is Thicker Than Blood
by MaureentheDramaQueen
Summary: RENT-Chpt. 31 [FINALLY- Secrets and lies are revealed and cause turmoil between Mimi, Roger, and Maureen at the Cat Scratch Club the night of Band Wars.
1. Every Wish I Will Obey

Maureen tore down the sidewalk in a hurry.  
  
"Shit! I'm gonna miss the subway," she groaned. Maureen had an appointment with her agent at 8:00 PM, and it was already 8:07. She pushed past the crowd and made a dramatic leap onto the subway just as the doors closed behind her.  
  
It was now 8:30 and Maureen rapped loudly on her agent's door.  
  
"Jeff! Are you here?" There was no reply. Maureen leaned against the door. "Jeff, please! This could be my big break! Just let me come.ow!" Jeff had opened the door unexpectedly and Maureen made her grand entrance by falling on top of him.  
  
"Sorry!"  
  
"Don't worry about it," Jeff chuckled, "Here, let me help you." He reached out his hand to help Maureen up off the floor. For some reason, she thought she had felt his hand lightly sweep over her backside. Maureen decided that she had imagined it.  
  
"Nice place," she commented as her eyes examined the drab apartment. Jeff grinned and invited Maureen to sit down so he could examine her resume.  
  
"Hmmm," Jeff mumbled to himself as he examined the piece of paper before him.  
  
"Was that a good 'hmm' or a bad 'hmm?" Maureen asked anxiously.  
  
"Is this all the experience you have?"  
  
"Well, yes." Maureen began, but she saw the disapproving look on Jeff's face and was tempted to do anything to make him change his mind. "Of course, there was that movie I filmed in Paris last year," she lied. Jeff raised one eyebrow.  
  
"What movie?"  
  
"Oh, you know. It was called.um." Maureen frantically searched around the room in order to think of something to call her imaginary film. Seeing a box of cereal on the counter, she blurted, "Breakfast! Yes, it was called breakfast."  
  
"Interesting. I've never heard of it."  
  
"Well, of course you haven't. You see, it was all filmed in French and the director didn't want to ruin the art of the film with subtitles."  
  
"You speak French?"  
  
"Why yes, I am bilingual. I supposed I'm a multitalented girl!" Maureen smiled.  
  
"Would you be ever so kind and say a few things for me? I would love to hear it. French is such a beautiful language."  
  
Maureen gulped. She had never once taken French lessons.  
  
"Um.bon jour!" she said.  
  
"A little more, if you don't mind."  
  
Maureen began making things up. "See a la gener tee soo lay a la am Paris," she said frantically.  
  
"You don't speak French, do you?"  
  
"No, Sir."  
  
"Were you ever in a French film?"  
  
"No.I'm sorry. I just really want a job, Jeff!"  
  
"I know. I'm sorry, Maureen, but you don't have the experience or the talent that people are looking for."  
  
Maureen was shocked. "What?! Me?! No talent?! I've got talent! You saw me at that protest last year! I was good! You saw all those people!"  
  
Jeff shook his head. "Yes, I remember. All those people mooing. It was inspirational," he said sarcastically, "But you know, Maureen, you are a very beautiful woman."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything, Jeff? It's not gonna get me a job!"  
  
"It could."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I could talk to a few directors. I could tell them how talented you are and how perfect you would be in their films. I could mention that you have flawless acting ability."  
  
"You would do that? Oh, please Jeff!" Maureen begged.  
  
"I'll do it for a price."  
  
"How much?" Maureen asked, taking a wallet from her purse. "I don't have much, but I want this so bad." Jeff gently shut Maureen's wallet.  
  
"No. Not that kind of price. This is where being beautiful comes in. I've always wanted to sleep with a woman as pretty as you."  
  
Maureen turned away. "Well if that's what you want, you're not getting it. I'm a lesbian, Jeff! I have a girlfriend who cares about me."  
  
"Yes, Maureen. But will she still care about you when she's the one who is supporting you? Will she care about you when you two go broke? You need a job, Maureen." His hand caressed her shoulder and he breathed softly on her neck.  
  
"Jeff, stop."  
  
"She never has to know."  
  
"JEFF!"  
  
"Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to be with another man again?"  
  
"I'm leaving!" Maureen shouted as she made her way to the door.  
  
"Not so fast!" Jeff gripped her arm tightly. "You're not going anywhere." He locked the door behind him, and Maureen had no choice. 


	2. Depends on Trust

"Zoom in on Collins as he looks out at the city from the fire escape," Mark Cohen said as he adjusted several buttons on his camera.  
"The poor guy looks lonely," Roger remarked.  
"Yeah." They sighed. It had been 6 months since Angel died of AIDS, and apparently Collins had yet to get over his loss.  
"He never talks anymore. He needs to get out of his apartment for a while. Let's take him down to the Life Café sometime. We'll invite everyone and have a little party," Mark suggested.  
"Little? If we're inviting everyone that includes Mimi, and with Mimi it's never a little party," Roger teased as his girlfriend passed.  
"That's right. I'm a party animal!" Mimi wrapped her arms around Roger's neck and they exchanged a dramatic kiss. Mark grinned for the first time that evening. He was glad to see his best friend so happy. Ever since Roger met Mimi he seemed to be different. He had more confidence, and he joked more as each day passed.  
"Get a room!" Mark laughed as the kiss continued.  
"Fine then! We will!" Roger smiled as he and Mimi made their way to their bedroom. "Goodnight!" Mark turned his attention back to his camera, but soon he found that he didn't have the heart to continue filming Collins. It was depressing to watch him sit there alone each night. Eventually, Collins left for his apartment mumbling something that sounded like "Goodnight" before walking out the door.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- Maureen entered her apartment around 4:00 AM. She closed the door as quietly as possible behind her. She didn't turn on the light for fear of waking Joanne, so she felt her way along the wall to the couch. Maureen dropped her coat and purse on the floor and stretched out on the couch with a sigh. Tears rolled down her face as she relived what had just happened at her agent's apartment. "Maureen, haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to have sex with a man again?" Jeff sneered. "What? Are you scared?"  
"Jeff, just let me leave!" she pleaded. Jeff's hand touched her cheek  
softly.  
  
"You know you want to." His hand moved towards the zipper on the back  
of her leather pants.  
Maureen let out a sob. She was too ashamed to remember what she had done next. It wasn't rape. It couldn't have been, Maureen thought guiltily. I never fought back. I wanted to do it. I can't believe I wanted to do it.  
"Honey bear! Is that you?" Joanne called. Maureen could hear her fuzzy pink slippers shuffling down the hallway. She quickly wiped her eyes.  
"Yeah, it's me."  
"I was worried! Why did you come home so late?"  
"Oh, this and that. Jeff took longer than I had expected, and I missed the subway," Maureen explained. She felt awful lying to Joanne, but she couldn't bring herself to explain the awful truth.  
"Well, did everything go ok?"  
"Yeah. It was great. Really."  
"Do you think you'll get a job?" Joanne asked.  
"Well," Maureen replied, "I did everything I could to get one." It was the first honest thing she had told Joanne that evening. 


	3. How We Gonna Pay?

[AN: Wow, I have had no time at all to update! I finally have. Please review!]  
  
"What are you doing?" Mimi asked Roger as she leaned over his shoulder. He was sitting on the floor counting some dollar bills that had been stuffed in a coffee canister.  
  
"I'm trying to pay to rent."  
  
"Oh god, is it that bad?"  
  
"The band hasn't had a gig for a while, and the ones we have had were cheap ones." Roger put his head in his hands. "Don't worry about it, Meems. We'll be fine. We can get by." For some reason, he seemed to doubt his own words.  
  
"Well, I can get a job," Mimi offered with a hopeful smile.  
  
"What? No, of course not. I can take care of you."  
  
"For God's sake, Roger! You don't have to go around acting like the macho man all the time. I can help out too," Mimi practically yelled as her short temper took over.  
  
"I know you can sweetie. I just feel like I need to take care of you. That's all," Roger said softly.  
  
"Fine then. If we get evicted again, I'm blaming you!" Mimi teased as she opened the refrigerator. "Hey, Rog?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have you ever thought about asking the others for money? I mean, only if we really need it. We'd pay them back eventually."  
  
Roger shook his head. "Are you insane? We have a little more pride than that!"  
  
"Pride? I'd call it stupidity! I seriously doubt they want to see us thrown out in the streets!" Mimi yelled as she lost her temper again and slammed the refrigerator door.  
  
"I won't let that happen, Meems! You know I wouldn't! Sometimes it's just hard now that there's another mouth to feed. . ." Roger immediately regretted what he had just said.  
  
"Oh, so that's what I am! Another mouth to feed! Well if I'm such a burden then why don't you just throw me out! I'm sure you'd get by just fine then!"  
  
"You know I didn't mean that!"  
  
"Then let me get a job!"  
  
"No. We can get by," Roger said firmly, and Mimi knew that his stubborn mind was set. There would be no borrowing money, but there had to be another way. And Mimi thought of her plan.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
Roger awoke the next morning to find Mimi long gone from his bed. He pulled on a shirt and found Mimi in her pajamas (a pair of Roger's old boxers and an oversized T-shirt) in the kitchen reading the newspaper. Roger laughed.  
  
"You're reading the newspaper?"  
  
"Yes," Mimi said defiantly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Mimi held up the page she was looking through.  
  
"Meems, I told you not to look for a job!"  
  
"But there are so many benefits!"  
  
"Like what?" Roger asked, not expecting an answer.  
  
"Well, I'll be out of the apartment for most of the day missing you. That way, when I can back we'll have to make up for lost time if you know what I mean." She kissed him dramatically on the lips and practically shoved her tongue down his throat.  
  
"I wouldn't mind that," Roger grinned as Mimi finally detached her lips from his face. "Alright, Meems. If you really want to, go ahead and get yourself a job. What exactly are you planning on doing, anyway?"  
  
"I dunno. I'll find something. How hard can it be?"  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------- Mark practically choked on the Captain Crunch he was eating out of the box.  
  
"Mimi is getting a job?" he snorted. "And what might that be? Open a kissing booth?"  
  
"I hope not. We'll see how this turns out," Roger sighed as he plucked a few guitar strings.  
  
Suddenly, a mob of leather and brunette curls was leaping onto Mark.  
  
"What the fuck. . .? Maureen, get off me!"  
  
"And did you ever think about knocking?" Roger asked in an irritated tone.  
  
"Did you ever think about locking your door?" Maureen grinned. "Anyway, I'm not here to argue with you, Rog. I'm here to thank Marky!"  
  
Mark was apparently confused. "For. . .?"  
  
"The flowers, of course!" Maureen giggled as she bounced up and down like a happy puppy.  
  
"What flowers?" Mark asked.  
  
"And stop acting like the Energizer Bunny," Roger groaned. "You're giving me a headache."  
  
Roger's comment was ignored. "Oh, don't try and play secret admirer, Marky! I found those roses in front of the apartment this morning. Nobody else could have sent them. Roger and Mimi were out, Collins was at his apartment, and Joanne was with me. But what are they for, Marky? It's not my birthday yet. Or is it just because you're sweet?" She hugged him so tightly that he was practically squished to death. She gave him a peck on the cheek leaving behind a trace of bright pink lipstick.  
  
"Whoa, Maureen. I know nothing about flowers."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean I never sent any. Sorry."  
  
"Well in that case, I take that kiss back." She wiped the lipstick from Mark's cheek. "But who sent them then? There isn't anyone else I would know that would do that. Maybe someone has a crush on me!" she squealed like a teenage girl. "Of course, nobody should dare to compete with my Pookie. But what woman. . .or man. . ." she trailed off and her expression immediately changed. "Jeff."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I thought he was just going to leave me alone. Why is he doing this? I can't believe I thought that. . ." Maureen stopped when she realized that she was talking to herself and everyone was staring at her. "I have to go. Where's Mimi?"  
  
"Getting a job," Roger replied.  
  
"Oh, um, ok. Tell her I'll call her." Maureen hurried out of the apartment without bothering to ask further questions about Mimi's job as she normally would have.  
  
"What's up with her?" Mark wondered aloud.  
  
"I have no idea," Roger chuckled and then began to cough. "Whew! One thing hasn't changed about Maureen. She still wears that awful perfume!" 


	4. Do You Go to the Cat Scratch Club?

[AN: Yeah, I know this chapter sorta sucks, but don't worry. It's all leading up to what's happening next. Mwahaha! ::evil laughter::]  
  
Mimi could see her breath in the chilly air. She was on her way to the Life Café, but this time it was for a different reason. Mimi wanted to work as a waitress. She glanced at her watch and realized that she was already a few minutes late. She walked as quickly as her short skirt and high heels would allow, but in her haste she planted the heel of her left shoe directly in a crack on the sidewalk.  
  
"Whoa!" Mimi was close to kissing the pavement, but a strong hand grabbed her.  
  
"Oh God, thanks. I'm such a klutz," she replied to the stranger.  
  
"Mimi Marquez?" Mimi suddenly realized that this guy was no stranger. He used to work at the Cat Scratch Club where she had once worked as a dancer who did a little more than dancing.  
  
"Bud? Hey, it is you! I never thought I would see you again!"  
  
"Yeah. I guess your days at the Cat Scratch are over," the huge man grinned. "Look at you! You're still gorgeous. Where are you working now?"  
  
"Actually, I was just on my way to the Life Café to apply for a job."  
  
"You? A waitress? Mimi, you're better than that."  
  
"Yeah. And I'm sure as hell better than the Cat Scratch Club."  
  
"How much would they pay you at the Life?"  
  
"I dunno. Why?"  
  
"What if I told you I could get you double-no-triple that amount if you worked for me?"  
  
"Don't even start. Roger doesn't want me going back there, and like I said, I'm better than that now. I can get a job without selling myself," Mimi replied coldly.  
  
"Fine then. But if your plans backfire, don't hesitate to drop by."  
  
"I wouldn't set foot in there if you promised me millions, Bud."  
  
But Mimi couldn't help remember those words that echoed in her mind as she continued down the sidewalk. "Triple that amount." Roger would be so happy. She soon pushed the thoughts out of her mind and prepared for the interview. -----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Name, please," said a middle-aged man in a green suit. Mimi was too busy wondering why he chose this awful color. Who wears a green suit? And it's just not his color. . .  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
"Oh sorry. I was distracted. What did you say?"  
  
"You name, Miss."  
  
"Mimi Marquez."  
  
"You're real name, please."  
  
"Uh, my real name is Mimi." The man gave her a puzzled look and shook his head.  
  
"Alright then, Mimi," he droned on with sarcastic emphasis on her name, "What experience do you have working as a waitress?"  
  
"Well, I've never really worked at a restaurant before. But I learn really fast! And I always serve the food at parties. . ." The man was obviously disinterested.  
  
"So you have no experience?"  
  
"I never said that I didn't have experience. I told you! I serve food at. . ."  
  
"Alright. No experience. Well, we only take people who have actually had jobs before and know what it takes to be responsible. You already gave a bad impression because you weren't prompt."  
  
"Hey, I've had a job! I worked at the. . .never mind." Mimi decided not to mention the Cat Scratch Club. It would only make things worse.  
  
"Goodbye, Miss Marquez. And good luck to you." The man in the green suit rolled his eyes.  
  
"But I just got here!"  
  
"GOODBYE!"  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi left the Life Café in a state of defeat. How could she mess this up? She couldn't let Roger down. No, it wasn't that. She didn't want Roger to have the satisfaction of being right. She couldn't get a job. Her mind lingered still on her conversation with Bud.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Mimi had been lost in her thoughts and ran into a very frazzled Maureen.  
  
"Sorry. Look, Mimi, I really have to talk to you."  
  
"Why? What happened?"  
  
"Well you see. . ." Maureen began, but she was cut off by Roger who had just exited the apartment building.  
  
"Meems, did ya get a job?"  
  
"Uh, my interview got canceled so I'm going back tomorrow," Mimi lied. She turned to Maureen and lowered her voice. "Do you think we could talk about this later?"  
  
"Uh huh." Maureen nodded. "I just. . .I dunno, I guess I was just making a mountain out of a molehill. It's no big deal."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Mimi didn't give this particular conversation a second thought. She had other things on her mind.  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
"Honey bear?" Joanne called as Maureen entered the apartment.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What are these roses that I found in the trash? They're beautiful! Where did you get them?"  
  
"Oh, so now you snoop through my trash! Don't you trust me, Joanne? I can't believe this! How could you?" Maureen snapped. Joanne was obviously taken aback by this reply.  
  
"I wasn't snooping. I was just throwing some of your old junk away."  
  
"Oh, right. Sorry. The roses were from. . .um, I really don't know. I think somebody dropped them off at the wrong apartment."  
  
"Then why did the card have your name on it?"  
  
"Oh, right. They're from my agent. I completely forgot. He just wanted to congratulate me on my new job." Maureen felt awful about lying to Joanne for the second time.  
  
Joanne's face lit up. "You got a job? Honey bear, that's wonderful! Where at?"  
  
"I don't know yet. Jeff is going to have a meeting with me soon."  
  
"We should go out and celebrate!"  
  
"No! I mean. . .that would be great, Pookie, but I'm just not myself tonight. Maybe some other time." Maureen left for the bathroom and shut the door gently behind her. -------------------------------------------  
  
"What am I going to do?" she asked herself aloud. "I mean, now Joanne thinks I have a job so I have to go out and get one. But that means seeing Jeff again. No way, I can't do that. But what would Joanne say if she finds out? Oh shit, now I'm talking to myself like a psycho maniac."  
  
Maureen reached for the soap and began to wash her face. "Maybe I could see him just once. Just long enough to get a job. . ." she whispered to her reflection in the mirror. "You can do this, Maureen." She hoped that she was right. 


	5. It's a Living

[AN: This is where it starts getting to the good stuff. Review please!]  
  
The neon lights reading "The Cat Scratch Club" stood out brilliantly against the black brick of the dilapidated building. Even from the outside, Mimi could hear the sounds of electric guitars and whistling men. The air reeked of marijuana and was infiltrated with thick smoke. And yet, Mimi knew this place all too well.  
  
"Why the hell did I come back here?" she muttered to herself the night after her interview at the Life Café as she stood before this miserable place. "Why did I ever work here in the first place?" Before it had felt like a Mimi's days at the Cat Scratch Club were a lifetime ago. Now the memories came rushing back to her as she prepared to relive it all.  
  
Mimi adjusted her bright orange tube top she had dug out of a box in the closet that had been marked "Mimi's Stuff and Some Other Shit" in Roger's sloppy scrawl. She took a deep breath (and practically choked on all the smoke) and entered through the back door. A huge man stopped her.  
  
"I need an ID please."  
  
"Oh, well I'm coming to talk to Bud. . ."  
  
"I don't give a shit. Give me your fucking ID!" The man's expression changed. "Hey. . .you look familiar. Mimi? Mimi Marquez?!"  
  
"Yeah. That would be me."  
  
"Jesus Christ. I never thought I'd be seeing you again around here."  
  
"Just let me in."  
  
"Fine, fine." The man stepped aside as Mimi pushed passed him into a hallway with peeling, green paint on the walls. She walked down to the end of the hallway and knocked on a door marked "Office."  
  
"Who is it?" Bud's voice called gruffly.  
  
"Mimi."  
  
The door immediately flung open.  
  
"Mimi! Mimi, Mimi, Mimi!" the bulky man gave her a suffocating hug. "I'm so glad you changed your mind," he grinned.  
  
"I just really need money."  
  
"Interview backfired?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I figured it would."  
  
"Just shut the hell up and gimme a job!" Mimi growled. Bud knew she meant business, so he pulled out a notebook from a desk drawer and ran his finger down a list.  
  
"We have an opening for a strip-ahem-I mean dancer every night from 11pm to midnight."  
  
"I'll take it."  
  
"Just like that?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So yesterday you're telling me that you're better than this and you wouldn't be caught dead here and now you're taking a job. Interesting. . ." Bud began to mumble something to himself. "You can start tonight."  
  
"What? Now?!" Mimi was baffled.  
  
"One of our girls called in sick today. We need somebody to fill her spot. You know how it's done."  
  
"But I don't have a costume or dance! I'm not ready. . ."  
  
"To relive your past," Bud finished for her.  
  
"Well, no. . .sort of. . ."  
  
"You're old costume is still in the dressing room. You remember the lawn chair handcuff dance, don't you?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Good. You're on in 15." Bud left Mimi alone in the office.  
  
Mimi put her head in her hands. "Oh God," she murmured as she made herself walk down to the dressing room. She knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in! It ain't like you haven't seen us naked before!" called an irritating voice that was followed by laughter. The room was crowded with women all wearing fancy costumes adorned with feathers (that were soon removed when they walked on stage). Mimi was greeted by whispering and puzzled looks.  
  
"Hey, Meems. I thought you were through with this shit," sneered a tall red-haird woman with fierce, gray eyes.  
  
"I'm broke, ok?"  
  
"Awww. You're poor boyfriend ain't bringing home the bacon anymore? Or is he too stoned to do much of anything?"  
  
"Shut the hell up, Marcie!"  
  
"He doesn't come around here anymore, does he? Do you give him free shows at home to keep him happy? That's probably the only reason he's staying around. I'm surprised it has lasted so long. Most men don't want a relationship with a whore."  
  
Mimi ran toward her in a state of rage with a fist raised. "Don't you EVER, EVER talk shit about Roger and I! HE LOVES ME AND I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU SAY!" she threw herself on top of Marcie swinging her arms like a mad woman. Fists were flying everywhere, high heeled shoes kicked, and long nails scratched.  
  
"Hey. . .HEY! BREAK IT UP!" someone shouted as the pulled the two women away from each other. "Damn, we've got ourselves a feisty one."  
  
Mimi turned to see who was holding her wrists tightly behind her back and realized that it was Bud. "You hurt my girls, you lose your job!"he barked as he stormed from the dressing room. Marcie got up off the floor and wiped the blood from her nose and nursed a bruised cheek. All the women ran to comfort her and make sure she was ok while they looked at Mimi as though she was a disgrace. Mimi was breathing heavily as she tried to rid herself of anger. She silently made her way to the back of the dressing room and found her old, feathered costume in a box. Mimi tugged it on and fixed her make-up in the mirror. As she turned to go, she realized that the women were still giving her funny looks.  
  
"Ya know what? Fuck you!" she cried as she hurried to her place backstage. She waited for her cue.  
  
"Ready?" Bud whispered before he raised the curtain.  
  
"I think so."  
  
"And here we have one of our most famous dancers back at the Cat Scratch Club!" the announcers voice yelled. "The sexiest woman of them all. . .Miss Mimi Marquez!"  
  
The crowd went wild with cheers. Men whistled and stomped their feet. Smoke swirled throughout the dirty room and the glow of each cigarette was visible in the audience. The curtain went up, the spotlight came on, and there was Mimi Marquez alone on the stage with a pair of handcuffs and a lawn chair.  
  
"Here I am again," she thought to herself and began to dance.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What are you doing here?," Mark asked when he saw Maureen on the couch of his apartment.  
  
"Waiting for Mimi. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was just out filming some. . .hey, this is my apartment."  
  
"Oh, right," Maureen giggled.  
  
"Where's Roger?"  
  
"Band gig."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They were silent for a moment. "So, uh, Maureen, can I ask you something?"  
  
Maureen nodded.  
  
"What was up with you the other day? Something about a guy named Jeff and roses?"  
  
Maureen gulped. "Oh, it was nothing."  
  
"It didn't seem like nothing."  
  
"Well it was."  
  
"Ok. . ." More silence. "So how are things with Joanne?"  
  
"Fine. Why are you asking? Are you concerned about our relationship? Do you have some kind of idea that I'm seeing other people? Well, I'm not! I would never cheat on Joanne! I love her!"  
  
"Geez, Maureen. Chill. I was just trying to be nice," Mark said. "Are you seeing other people?"  
  
"God, Mark! NO!" Maureen cried. Mark chuckled.  
  
"Ok, ok. I believe you. I don't think Mimi's gonna be home for a while so. . ."  
  
"Sure, I'll leave."  
  
"I wasn't asking you to leave."  
  
"Then what were you asking?"  
  
"I dunno. . . things have always been awkward with you and I, you know?"  
  
"Yeah," Maureen laughed. "Ever since I sacked you and became a lesbo." She became serious. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, Mark."  
  
"Stuff happens."  
  
"No really. I am. I mean it."  
  
"Some people don't realize their true sexuality until later in life."  
  
"Yeah. . .you're right," Maureen replied and meant it. She shivered as she thought of Jeff.  
  
"You alright?"  
  
"Yeah, just cold."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Hey, Mark? Can we talk?"  
  
"Isn't that what we're doing?"  
  
"No, I mean. . . I was gonna talk to Mimi but. . ."  
  
Mark gave her a confused look.  
  
"Ya know what? It's nothing. Stupid, actually. Just forget about it, ok?"  
  
Mark continued to look confused, but he nodded. "Sure. But if you ever need to talk about something, you can tell me, ok?"  
  
Maureen nodded, but she knew she didn't mean it. How could she tell Mark about that night with Jeff? How could she tell him that she might not be through with men?  
  
How could she tell him that she was meeting Jeff again next week? 


	6. Tofu

[AN: The part of this chapter involving tofu is based on one of my personal experiences. ::giggle:: Enjoy, and please review!]  
  
"Back for more?" Jeff grinned as Maureen entered his apartment the next week.  
  
"I'm just here for the job. And why the hell did you send me roses?"  
  
"Roses? Why would I send you roses?" Jeff asked as he pretended to have no idea what she was talking about.  
  
"Cut the crap. I know you sent them. You were just buttering me up because you want stuff from me. Well I'm no prostitute if that's what you think! I'm a performance artist!"  
  
"You perform very well. . ." Jeff smiled.  
  
"Argh! God, Jeff, would you stop?! I never wanted to come back here! I just want a fucking job!" Maureen cried.  
  
"Darling, please don't get yourself worked up over this."  
  
"You call me 'darling' one more time and. . ." Maureen clenched her fists.  
  
"Fine. You have a job. I talked to a guy who wants a singer for a wedding band."  
  
"Whoa, this wasn't our original plan. I was going for an acting job! I mean, I sing but not nearly as well as I. . ."  
  
"Take it or leave it."  
  
"Fine. I'll take it. I worked hard enough to get the job in the first place." Maureen rolled her eyes.  
  
Jeff handed her a slip of paper. "Here's the address for the next rehearsal. Oh, and if this job doesn't turn out the way you wanted it to, you know where to find me."  
  
"Sure. In Assholeville. I'll remember that," Maureen smiled sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, so having sex with you makes me an asshole? Well, you didn't exactly refuse."  
  
Maureen felt too ashamed to reply. She knew he was right, but she could never admit it.  
  
"So when will I see you again?" Jeff asked casually.  
  
"Never."  
  
"C'mon. . .just one more time." He stroked her cheek and Maureen swatted his hand away.  
  
"Jeff, just stay out of my life!" Maureen quickly slammed the door and hurried from the building.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"If I were you, I wouldn't take that job."  
  
Maureen spun around. "Collins!" she gasped. "Wha-what are you doing here?"  
  
"It doesn't matter. I was just in the right place at the right time. Now Maureen, tell me, why did you do what you did?"  
  
"Oh God. . .how long were you standing there? What did you hear?" Maureen was clearly horrified.  
  
"I was there long enough and I heard everything I needed to know."  
  
"Can't you just give me simple answers?!"  
  
"No. So answer my question."  
  
"I did it so I could get a job."  
  
"Why did you want a job?"  
  
"We need money."  
  
"Who is 'we'?"  
  
"Joanne and I."  
  
"Ahhh. . .yes, Joanne. Do you love her?"  
  
"Of course I do!"  
  
"Then why did you sleep with another man?"  
  
"Because. . .because I love Joanne. And she wants me to get a job and I want us to stay together."  
  
"That's sounds like an oxymoron to me."  
  
"Collins, just stop for second. You're confusing me." Maureen sat down on the steps and Collins sat beside her.  
  
"You see, Joanne thinks that I'm too. . .well, I don't know what she thinks I am. I'm just different than she is and sometimes that can be a problem. So I wanted to prove to her that I can be responsible and get a job."  
  
"So you're telling me that was responsible?" Collins chuckled a bit.  
  
"Well I figured it was the only way."  
  
Collins shook his head. "Why didn't you just leave when he started coming on to you? If Joanne really loved you she would have understood. I thought you were better than this, Maureen. I guess I was wrong." Collins stood and began to leave.  
  
"Wait! Collins, please just hear me out, ok?" Maureen pleaded.  
  
"Oh boy. This will take a lot of explaining." He sat back down.  
  
"I guess I've just been. . .curious, you know? Like what it would be like to be with another man again. And. . .ok, you win."  
  
Collins smiled. "I was winning all along. Mo, that was really stupid."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry."  
  
"What are you apologizing to me for? You're only hurting yourself and Joanne."  
  
"Ugh. . .don't make me feel worse," she groaned. "Are you gonna tell anyone about this?"  
  
"No. It's not my story to tell."  
  
"Thanks." She gave Collins a quick hug and began to leave.  
  
"Maureen?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Stay away from that man. He's bad news, and I know for a fact that you weren't the first he's manipulated."  
  
Maureen raised an eyebrow. "How did you. . .?"  
  
Collins just shook his head. "Don't worry about it."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"C'mon you two! Dinner is ready!" Mimi called. Roger walked into the kitchen with Mark following.  
  
"You cooked?! I've gotta get this on film!" Mark turned on his camera.  
  
"Hey, I can cook!" Mimi protested. Mark just rolled his eyes.  
  
"Alright, so what are we having?" Roger asked eagerly. He was already seated at the table. Mimi proudly set a plate before him. "What IS it?" Roger asked as he pointed to the white blob occupying his plate.  
  
"Tofu."  
  
"Um. . .I'll pass," Mark said and began to leave, but Mimi grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him roughly back into his chair.  
  
"You, my uneager friend, will try it first!" she giggled. Mark gulped.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me!"  
  
"Meems, are you sure this is food?" Roger poked at the blob. "Hey! It jiggles!" he laughed.  
  
"Roger amuses himself with Mimi's mystery meal," Mark said as he filmed Roger.  
  
"Oh come on! Just eat it and at least pretend to like it!" Mimi whined. Mark and Roger ignored her.  
  
"Hey Rog, I wonder if it'll bounce?"  
  
"Let's find out!" Roger picked up the tofu and headed for the fire escape.  
  
"No way are you ruining my dinner! I worked hard to cook that for you and now you're wasting it!" Mimi cried in a serious tone but was forced to suppress a giggle.  
  
Mark and Roger laughed like little boys. "Five, four, three, two, ONE!" They dropped a piece of tofu.  
  
"Hey! It DOES bounce! Look at this! Get over here, Meems! You gotta watch this stuff bounce!" Roger yelled.  
  
Mimi reluctantly leaned over the railing and watched them drop another piece. Sure enough, as soon as it hit the pavement it bounced about halfway up to the fire escape.  
  
"Gimme some of that!" she laughed and dropped it down. "At least my cooking is good for something!"  
  
"Hey Meems, think fast!" Roger tossed a piece of tofu at her. She shrieked and threw a chunk at his head.  
  
"TOFU FIGHT!" Mark yelled. Soon they were all rolling around on the fire escape attacking each other with white blobs of tofu. Mimi squished some onto Mark's glasses while Roger tossed a few bits into Mimi's hair.  
  
"Roger!!!" she squealed, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.  
  
"I don't like the looks of that," Mark groaned. He looked at Roger to find that his eyes had suddenly become huge.  
  
"Meems. . ."  
  
Mimi began giggling hysterically.  
  
"What? What did she do?" Mark was apparently confused.  
  
"I can't believe you just put that stuff down my pants!" Roger screamed and soon the fight began all over again. 


	7. Happy New Year

[AN: An exciting and dramatic chapter for New Year's Eve. ::scary music yet again::]  
  
Maureen looked from the address on the paper to the building and back again.  
  
"This can't be right," she frowned. "This dump is worse than my apartment building." She was right. The walls were covered with graffiti and the door had apparently been torn from the hinges. Maureen had to step carefully to avoid the broken glass that was covering the pavement. And this wasn't located in the best part of the city, either. The Cat Scratch Club was less than a block away.  
  
"Oh, great. This place is one big whorehouse," she groaned as she saw the sign. "What am I saying? Mimi isn't like that. . .at least not anymore. Am I?" Maureen thought of Jeff. "Ugh, don't think about him! Focus, Maureen, focus! You need to make a good impression." She was about to knock on the door, but then remember that there wasn't one so she walked right in.  
  
"Uh, hello? Anyone here?"  
  
"Who's there?" a husky voice called. Maureen was frightened to find out whom this threatening voice belonged to. She cleared her throat.  
  
"Maureen. Maureen Johnson. I'm here for the band rehearsal. . .for the wedding band."  
  
A tall African-American man emerged from a doorway at the top of the stairs. "Honey, we ain't no wedding band. Who told you that?"  
  
"My agent."  
  
"Oh, that Jeff guy I talked to? Yeah, he seems like a deceiving guy. At least, that was my first impression of him. Ya know what I mean? We don't perform at those fancy weddings. This is hard rock. Nobody wants that at a wedding. We play at some of the clubs around here."  
  
"Around here?" Maureen shifted nervously. "As in. . .this area?"  
  
The man eyed her carefully. "You're not one of those rich Manhattan chicks, are you?"  
  
"No," she laughed. "Not at all."  
  
He smiled. "Good. I'm Mikey." He held out a hand. He was a lot less threatening when he had a smile on his face.  
  
Maureen shook his hand. "It's a pleasure."  
  
"Follow me. I'll introduce you to the rest of the band." Maureen followed Mikey up the stairs. They entered a room about the size of the loft. However, the walls were covered with rock posters and the place was a mess. Maureen was instantly thankful to be living with Joanne. Paranoid as she was, it was nice to have someone around who was organized.  
  
"This is Bert," Mikey said as he motioned to a bass player with green and purple spiked hair. "And this is Charlie." He pointed to a drummer wearing nothing but boxers. Mikey leaned closer to Maureen and whispered in her ear, "You're gonna have to excuse Charlie. He was partying hard last night." He straightened up and Maureen supressed a giggle. "I play the electric guitar, and you're gonna be our singer! Everybody, this is Maureen!" He sounded like he was announcing this to a room full of people instead of two scruffy-looking men. They waved hello, and Maureen noticed that Bert was staring wide-eyed at her breasts. Mikey noticed this as well.  
  
"Oh, sorry about him, Maureen. . ."  
  
"Don't worry," she whispered. "I'll take care of it." She backed up and stared at his crotch. He turned away looking embarrassed. "That's what you get for checking out my tits. In case you were wondering, I'm not available. My girlfriend and I don't plan on breaking up any time soon." She put extra emphasis on the word "girlfriend" and smiled proudly when Bert's jaw dropped.  
  
"Yeah, I'm a lezzie. Get over it." She giggled. "So are we gonna sit around or are we gonna start rockin'?"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Roger, I'm gonna have to leave around 10:30," Mimi said.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"My new job."  
  
"You got a job?" Roger threw down his guitar and leaped off the couch. He was apparently surprised. "Where at?"  
  
"This café down the street," she lied. "I'm working as a waitress."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Was that a good "wow?""  
  
"No. Well, yeah. I mean, gosh Meems, I honestly never thought you could pull this off. But you did . .and I'm proud!" Roger grinned and hugged her. Mimi wondered how many other ways he would find to make her feel worse.  
  
"Um, thanks, Rog." Mimi pulled away from him.  
  
"God, what's wrong with you, Meems?"  
  
"Nothing. I have to go."  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
After Maureen listened to the three guys play a few songs, Mikey handed Maureen a piece of paper. "These are the lyrics. I'll play the tune for you." He plucked some strings on his guitar. "You got it?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
Charlie hit his drumsticks together. "One, two, three, four!" Maureen began to sing.  
  
"You remind me of a dump truck. . .'cause you suck. . .oh yeah you're bad luck. . .oh fuck. . .I said a fucka fucka fucka fuck." She stopped. "What the hell. . .?"  
  
"What did you stop for?" Bert asked.  
  
"Who wrote these lyrics?"  
  
"Charlie did."  
  
"Hmmm. . ." Maureen took out a pencil and began scribbling a few things down.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Making revisions. Charlie, would you mind if I wrote something for us?"  
  
"You're a songwriter too?"  
  
"As of now. . .yes I am," Maureen smiled. "No offense, Charlie, but this is. . .um, how can I say this?"  
  
"Shit. We know," Charlie laughed. "Listen, Maureen. How about we end practice early today and you can come back at our next practice with something better. Maybe we'll have it ready for our next gig." The others nodded in agreement.  
  
"Alright, then. I'll try. Bye, everybody!" Maureen walked out of the building.  
  
"Who is that?" she muttered to herself. She has just seen a woman who looked almost exactly like Mimi walking into the Cat Scratch Club. She convinced herself that she must have imagined it and decided not to bring it up to anyone. What would they say if they knew she was working in a dump like this? Maureen pulled her jacket tightly around her against the wind and continued on her way home.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Oh, Honey Bear! How did the rehearsal go?" Joanne asked as soon as Maureen walked through the door.  
  
"It was great. Absolutely fantastic," Maureen replied to Joanne who was beaming.  
  
"I'm so proud that you got a job! I just knew you were talented enough to do it!"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You know, we should really invite that agent of yours over to the New Year party at the Life Café tomorrow night. Jeff is his name, right? It's the least we can do to thank him. . ."  
  
"NO! I mean, you really don't have to do that. I thanked him enough," Maureen told her girlfriend hoping that Joanne would go along with her.  
  
"Alright then," Joanne sighed.  
  
------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Zoom in on Roger as he groggily crawls out of bed in the late afternoon. He doesn't look like he'll make it to midnight," Mark said after barging into Roger and Mimi's bedroom with his camera on New Year's Eve.  
  
"Shut up, Mark. And turn off the camera!" Roger groaned in irritation. "We were just up late last night."  
  
"Up late? I see. . ." Mark grinned.  
  
"We were doing. . .other things," Mimi said with a giggle. She turned to the camera. "Roger and I had quite a time." The couple began to laugh hysterically while Mark hurried from the room.  
  
"I'd better get out of here before they have "quite a time" again," he murmured.  
  
"Happy New Year, sweetie." Roger gave Mimi a kiss. "Are we gonna party hard tonight, or what?"  
  
"Yeah!" she smiled. "Let's just hope they don't kick us out!"  
  
"Oh, c'mon. They weren't THAT mad last time!"  
  
"Oh really. Then why did they escort us out of the building? That's right. You were so damn drunk that you couldn't stop knocking things over!"  
  
"Was NOT!"  
  
"Was too!"  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Yes way!"  
  
"Excuse me!" Collins appeared in the doorway. "It's the middle of the afternoon. Why don't you two start getting ready so we can begin the party early?"  
  
"Collins?! A party animal?!" Roger snorted. "Since when did this happen?"  
  
"Since I've decided to try and have some fun for once since. . ." he trailed off and walked away.  
  
"Since Angel died," Mimi whispered.  
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
"Joanne!" Maureen called. "Joanne!!!"  
  
"What is it Honey Bear?" Joanne emerged from the bedroom.  
  
"I can't find my leather pants!" Maureen whined like a child.  
  
"Which pair?"  
  
"You know. . .THE pair. THE leather pants. THE perfect leather pants that I was gonna wear tonight!"  
  
"Oh, THOSE." Joanne pretended to know what Maureen was talking about. "Have you checked the drawer where I put all the leather pants?"  
  
Maureen stopped rummaging through the closet and opened the top drawer. "Oh, uh, there they are."  
  
Joanne laughed. "What are you laughing at? Do you think I'm a ditz or something? Well, this hair isn't blonde, IS IT?!" Maureen demanded a little more loudly than she had meant for it to be.  
  
"Maureen, you really don't need to make everything so dramatic."  
  
"Dramatic?! So now you're calling me a DRAMA QUEEN?! I don't believe this, Joanne! AND I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!" Maureen tossed her leather pants onto the bed, ran into the bathroom, and slammed the door.  
  
Joanne sighed and waited a few minutes. Then she knocked on the door. "Honey. . . can I come in?" Maureen reluctantly opened the door. "Sweetie, you usually don't act like this. Is something wrong?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you PMSing?"  
  
"I sure as hell hope I am. God, Joanne, now that I think about it I haven't had my period since. . .oh my god." Maureen swallowed the lump in her throat.  
  
Joanne nudged her shoulder. "Maureen, don't be ridiculous. It's not like you've had sex with any men. . ." she trailed off when she saw that Maureen's face was streaked with tears.  
  
"Oh my god. Joanne, I'm really, really sorry."  
  
"No." Joanne shook her head. "No. You didn't. Please tell me that you didn't."  
  
Maureen began to sob. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."  
  
"You didn't mean to? That's your excuse?" Joanne was infuriated.  
  
"Pookie, just let me explain."  
  
"Don't 'Pookie' me you liar. Who was it, Maureen? WHO?!"  
  
Maureen was sobbing so hard that she couldn't answer.  
  
"It's over. Officially. I don't give a damn if we've had a million fights and gotten back together a million times. It's OVER. I'm going for a walk. When I get back, I expect to be gone." Joanne's eyes were blazing with anger. Maureen had never seen her like this before. "You whore!"  
  
"Wait!" Maureen called helplessly as Joanne made her way to the door.  
  
"Stay out of my life, Maureen," Joanne said coldly. "And don't you EVER come crawling back." She slammed the door and Maureen could here her footsteps pounding quickly down the stairs.  
  
"Oh my god," Maureen muttered to herself. "I can't be. It's not true. I'm just late. But. . .what am I supposed to do if I am?"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
No one said anything when Joanne never showed up for the party at the Life Café. Maureen and Joanne had been in enough fights for them to know that it wasn't a good idea to bring it up.  
  
"So. . ." Mark make an attempt to begin a conversation. The usually lively group was quiet. Eventually, Roger had a few beers and got the whole group (except Maureen) to sing "The Good Ship Lollipop" while flinging onion rings at each other. Mimi and Maureen were probably the only sane people sitting there. Even Collins was getting a bit tipsy.  
  
"So then I said to her. . .I said 'Why did you toss your cat out the window?' and she says, 'I was hoping to hit you with it!" Roger roared with laughter at his own story (which had no point whatsoever).  
  
"Zoom in on Roger as he drinks his 6th beer. . .or, wait. Meems, how many is that?"  
  
She shrugged. Mark eventually grew bored of Roger and began to look elsewhere for excitement. "Zoom in on Maureen's plate. She hasn't touched her food. God, Mo, usually you're the first to wolf it down," Mark laughed. He was having trouble keeping the camera steady. "Mo, is there two of you? Stop moving so fast. . .ugh, you're confusing me!"  
  
"Mark, just leave me alone," Maureen said quietly and headed for the back of the café.  
  
"Hey, Rog, you think she's ok?" Mimi wondered. But Roger was telling some story about the moth he found in his coffee last week and he didn't hear her.  
  
"I'll be right back," Mimi announced and went in Maureen's direction. She knocked softly on the door to the restroom.  
  
"Mo? It's me. Are you ok?" There was no reply, so Mimi pushed the door open. Maureen was sitting on the bathroom floor leaning against the wall. Mimi could tell she had been crying by the mascara running down her face. She sat down beside Maureen.  
  
Mimi ran her fingers through Maureen's brunette curls. "Did you and Joanne get in another fight?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, you know my agent?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"I. . .I slept with him."  
  
"Oh my god. Maureen why the hell did you. . .?"  
  
"Please, Meems. I really don't need you to yell at me right now. I know what I did was stupid. Believe me, I know."  
  
"Sorry. So, Joanne found out?"  
  
"Yeah. And she threw me out. It's officially over."  
  
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Mimi put an arm around Maureen who pulled away.  
  
"Meems. . .something else happened."  
  
"What's going on?" Mimi asked her. She seemed concerned.  
  
"Well. . .I'm late."  
  
"Late for what?"  
  
"I mean it's late."  
  
"What's late?"  
  
"Mimi."  
  
"Just tell me."  
  
"I. . .I think I'm pregnant." 


	8. We're Okay

[Wow! Sorry it took me so long to update! Here it is. Review pleeeeease!]  
  
"You're. . .you're. . .oh my god," Mimi sputtered. "Are you sure? Did you use a test or anything?"  
  
"Not yet. But I'm really starting to think that I am."  
  
"Oh my god." They sat there in silence for a few minutes. "Well, it could be anything Mo. I mean lots of women are irregular."  
  
"I'm not one of those women. I'm like a clock."  
  
Mimi sighed. "Mo, why did you do this?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."  
  
Mimi contemplated whether or not she should yell at her about being so ridiculously stupid. "Maureen. . .I've made a lot of mistakes. I've slept around. You know I have. And I never thought you would be this stupid."  
  
"God, Mimi, I don't need this. I don't need to hear this from you right now. I was already lectured by Collins." Maureen rolled her eyes.  
  
"Collins knows?"  
  
"Just the first part. Not the outcome."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Meems, I'm so scared."  
  
"Honey, calm down. Everything is gonna be ok."  
  
"You don't know that," Maureen sobbed. "You have no idea what I'm feeling right now, Mimi."  
  
"I'm sorry," Mimi murmured for lack of anything better to say.  
  
Maureen wiped her eyes and was silent.  
  
"You wanna go home?" Mimi whispered.  
  
"What home? I have no apartment."  
  
"Stay with us until you find a place. Or at least for tonight. I'm sure Mark and Roger wouldn't mind," Mimi offered.  
  
"Roger hates me," Maureen pouted.  
  
"Of course he doesn't!" However, Mimi wasn't too sure about that. Roger had called Maureen "a total bitch" on more than one occasion. "C'mon. Let's get out of here." They stood up. "But first, let's fix your make-up so you don't go out there looking like a zombie." Mimi smiled.  
  
Maureen couldn't help but laugh at her reflection. She had black streaks all the way down her cheeks. Mimi helped her redo the eye make-up. "Next time, use waterproof," she grinned.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
"What the fuck?" Mimi laughed as she and Maureen entered the apartment. Everyone was even more drunk than when they had last seen them. Roger was standing on the table wearing Mimi's bra over his shirt as the others laughed hysterically. Roger turned around.  
  
"Hey! It's Mimi! Hey, Mimi, this looks nice on me!" he snorted and a bit of drool rolled down his cheek.  
  
"And yet, you still love him," Maureen giggled.  
  
"Roger, gimme my bra!" Mimi attempted to snatch it off of him but he moved out of the way just in time. "Roger! C'mon!"  
  
"Haha. Roger is wearing your bra, Maureen. I mean Mimi. Wait, no. . ." Mark said in slurred speech from the couch.  
  
Maureen leaned closer to Mimi. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
  
Mimi nodded. "Let's snap it." They crept up behind Roger and slowly curled their fingers around the back of the bra and pulled.  
  
"One, two, three!" They let go out the strap and Roger let out a howl as it whacked him in the back.  
  
"What the fuck are you doing?! That hurt!" he whined.  
  
"Yeah. So you better not snap mine anymore," Mimi grinned.  
  
"To not to be, or to be. Wait, to be or not to not be? What is it again?" Collins mumbled as he guzzled down some more beer. Mimi gently pulled the bottle from his hand.  
  
"No more for you," she laughed.  
  
He looked very confused. "Hey, where did my beer go? I just had it a second ago!"  
  
Mimi led Maureen into the bedroom where they fell over with a fit of giggles.  
  
"Wow. I've never seen Collins that drunk before!" Mimi laughed.  
  
"And Roger! I wish I had that on tape!"  
  
"You probably do with Mark around. That is, if he can work his camera!" They dissolved into laughter again, but soon it subsided. They sat on the bed with their backs to the wall. "So, are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah," Maureen shrugged. Mimi raised an eyebrow. "Well, not totally. I just don't want to think about it right now."  
  
"Ok." Mimi couldn't think of anything else to say. She looked over at Maureen and saw her quickly brush a tear off her cheek. "You sure you're ok?"  
  
Maureen looked up at Mimi and whispered, "I want to take the test now. I have to know. I just have to." Mimi nodded with a look of understanding and pulled out from her purse the pregnancy test they had bought on the way home. She handed it to Maureen.  
  
"You know how to use this thing?"  
  
"It can't be too hard."  
  
"Good. 'Cause I have no clue. I've never had to use one of those things before," Mimi smirked.  
  
"Right. Because you've probably never been stupid enough to not think about fucking protection." Maureen started to cry and Mimi instantly regretted her words.  
  
"Honey, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. . ."  
  
"Forget about it," Maureen mumbled as she stood and left for the bathroom with the test hidden under her shirt so the others wouldn't see it. However, their vision was probably so blurred that they would think I was a candy bar wrapper.  
  
Mimi went into the living room to see if anything entertaining was going on. She didn't have to look very hard. Mark came at her with a camera. He could barely keep it steady.  
  
"Hey, Mimi! Look everybody! It's Mimi! She's gonna be in my camera!"  
  
"Mark. . .it's not on."  
  
"Oh. Right."  
  
Roger emerged from behind the couch. He had now graduated from Mimi's bras to her. .  
  
"ROGER! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING WITH MY THONG?!" she shrieked. He was wearing it on his head. Collins found this quite amusing.  
  
"It's orange! Look, it's an orange wong. . .tong. . .thong!" he said and it seemed like he was speaking gibberish. Mimi stopped trying to grab her underwear.  
  
"Uh, Collins. . .it's blue. Not orange." He just nodded and smiled.  
  
"I feel pretty! Oh so pretty!" Roger sang. "Hey Meems, what are the lyrics?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"You know all the lyrics! I heard you singing it in the shower two days ago!"  
  
"I was NOT!" she protested and attempted to hide a sheepish grin.  
  
"You're blushing!" Mark cried. "You know that song!"  
  
"I DO NOT!"  
  
"Alright then." Roger proposed an idea. "If you don't sing it for us, then I will throw this thong off the fire escape."  
  
"Nobody will know it's mine."  
  
"We can always write your name on it."  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"I would."  
  
"Well in your sane, booze-free mind you wouldn't." Roger just grinned at her as Mark tossed him a permanent marker. He scrawled her name onto the thong and hurried over to the fire escape where he dangled it over the railing.  
  
"OK, OK!" Mimi gave in. "I feel pretty. . .oh so pretty. . ."  
  
"Louder!" Mark shouted.  
  
"I FEEL PRETTY AND WITTY AND GAY!" she screamed. "Is that better?" Roger finally handed over her underwear. She snatched it from him and made her way from the room blushing.  
  
---------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi looked at the clock. "Ok. Time's up. You can look now." Maureen stared at the pregnancy test lying on the edge of the bathroom sink. She didn't move.  
  
"Maureen."  
  
"I can't do it," she whispered. Mimi put her hand on Maureen's shoulder.  
  
"It's better than not knowing."  
  
"Ok. I think I can do this." Maureen took a deep breath and took a step towards the sink. Suddenly, she turned back. "I can't do it, Meems! I'm scared." Mimi took her hand and guided her back to the sink.  
  
"We'll look together, ok?"  
  
Maureen nodded. They leaned over the sink.  
  
Maureen slowly sat back down. She was trembling. "So I guess. . .I guess I am."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh my god." Maureen sighed and hugged her knees to her chest. "Mimi, how am I supposed to go through with this? I'm not a mother. I have to money, no job. . .I have no life! And now I'm supposed to have a baby. I can't deal with this. This is too much." She rested her chin on her knees.  
  
"You have other options." Mimi tried to sound helpful. "You could give the baby up for adoption or. . ."  
  
". . .get an abortion?" Maureen finished her sentence. She sounded purely shocked. "How could I do that? That's awful. This is. . .my baby." Maureen said the last two words awkwardly, as though hearing them for the first time. "No. No way am I doing that. I couldn't. . .but. . ." Maureen just shook her head. "Maybe."  
  
Mimi was silent for a while. "Mo, you can at least make light of this."  
  
"How the hell am I supposed to do that? This wasn't supposed to happen. I can't believe I went out a got myself fucked by my agent for a stupid reason. I feel like such a whore," Maureen sobbed.  
  
Suddenly, Mimi's eyes were like fire. "Don't ever call yourself that. Never. I've done far worse things and you know it." She paused. "God. . .I'm sorry. I didn't mean to totally blow up like that."  
  
"It's ok." Suddenly, a small smile crept over Maureen's face. "Meems, I'm gonna have a baby," she whispered. "I'm really going to have a baby! This is so exciting!"  
  
Mimi laughed. "Wow, where did that come from?" she rolled her eyes. "Of course it's exciting!" She hugged her tightly. "And everything is gonna be ok."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
Suddenly, noise erupted from outside the door. They could hear the others counting down.  
  
"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE. . . HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"  
  
Mimi smiled. "Happy New Year, hon."  
  
"Yeah," Maureen sighed. "I guess. Happy New Year. . ." 


	9. One Song

[AN: It's short, I know. But don't worry. I'll try and make up for it with my next chapter! ]  
  
"Two words: hang. . .over," Roger groaned as he rolled out of bed. "Oh God, my head!"  
  
Mimi laughed at him. "You're just a big baby! And hangover is one word," she teased as she followed him into the living room.  
  
"Meems. . ." he whispered. "Why is Maureen asleep on our couch?"  
  
"Oh. Well, I'll explain some other time." Roger gave her a questioning look. "Just don't ask her about anything, alright?"  
  
"Fine," he shrugged.  
  
"Mo." Mimi nudged her. She sleepily opened her eyes.  
  
"Oh, shit. Did I fall asleep?" she groaned.  
  
"For a few hours."  
  
"Wow. I'm sorry. God, I was just emotionally exhausted I guess. It's not every day you lose your girlfriend and find out you're. . ."She stopped when she saw that Roger was in the room. "I mean, I was just tired, that's all." She lowered her voice. "Mimi, did you tell. . .?"  
  
"No. Of course not. Not until you're ready."  
  
"Ok. Thanks." Maureen let out a sigh of relief.  
  
Roger gave Mimi a confused look, but she shook her head and mouthed, "Later."  
  
Mark stumbled into the living room. "Happy New Year's day. Mo? What are you doing here?" Roger mimicked Mimi and shook his head, so Mark quickly changed the subject. "I mean, good morning. How's the hangover, Rog?"  
  
He groaned. "Shitty."  
  
Mark reached into the refrigerator and pulled out three eggs, orange juice, strawberry yogurt, and a pickle.  
  
Mimi and Maureen exchanged surprised looks. "What are you doing?"  
  
Mark paid no attention and mixed the unusual ingredients in a blender. He poured the disgusting concoction into a glass and handed it to Roger. "Drink this. It'll help the hangover."  
  
"You have got to be kidding me." Roger rolled his eyes. Mark poured himself a glass, plugged his nose, and chugged it down with a grin.  
  
"Seriously. It helps."  
  
"I'll take a rain check." Roger dumped the contents down the drain and poured himself some orange juice.  
  
"Fine then. You're really missing out, Rog. I'm going out filming." Mark flung his scarf around his neck and walked out the door.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Central Park on New Year's day. It's freezing cold here in New York, but there is warmth in our hearts as we begin the New Year." Mark laughed. "That was so cheesy." He turned off him camera.  
  
"You can say that again." Mark jumped as he heard a voice from the bench behind him.  
  
"Collins! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was just going for a walk. I needed to think." Mark sat down beside him.  
  
"You know, Collins, you've been doing a lot of 'thinking' these days. I mean. . .what I'm trying to say is. . .you're just off by yourself a lot. We're worried about you."  
  
Collins shrugged. "Don't be. I just need some time."  
  
"Time for what?"  
  
"Thinking."  
  
Mark sighed. "You have always been such an enigma." Collins smiled.  
  
"It's one of my many talents," he grinned sarcastically.  
  
Mark began to speak, but then stopped himself. "You're going to ask me if I'm still grieving about Angel," Collins muttered. Mark nodded sheepishly.  
  
"So you're an enigma and a psychic."  
  
"To answer you're question, I don't think I'll ever get over Angel. She was the most amazing person I've ever met, and I know we were destined to be together. And now that has been taken away from me. There was always this glimmer of hope in the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe, there would be a way for her to come back. I don't know why, Mark. It was the only hope I had. And now here comes the New Year and there's still no Angel. She's gone forever, and it took me a whole year to realize it. I will never be the same again. Not without her."  
  
Mark was taken aback by the pain in his voice. Collins. . .strong, smart, Collins seemed as helpless as a child. Mark sighed. "You'll find someone. There's someone out there for you."  
  
Collins shook his head. "I wish it that true, Mark." He walked away in silence.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi could hear Roger strumming away on his guitar out on the fire escape. "Rog, what the hell are you doing? You're fingers will freeze and you'll never be able to play again."  
  
"It's not that cold. Really!" he called. "I'll just be a few more minutes."  
  
Mimi turned to Maureen who was sitting at the kitchen table scribbling furiously on a paper napkin.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm working on a song for the band," she replied.  
  
"I didn't know you were a song writer."  
  
Maureen giggled. "I am now. Of course, I could never compete with your darling Roger!"  
  
Mimi smiled. "So. . .you know, you're going to have to schedule an appointment with your doctor soon."  
  
"I know," she said without looking up from her napkin.  
  
"So how do you feel?"  
  
"Exhausted."  
  
"I didn't mean physically."  
  
Maureen stopped writing and sat down on the couch next to Mimi. "I don't know. I guess it just hasn't really hit me yet. It's like it's all happening to somebody else."  
  
Mimi nodded, and just then Roger stepped in. "What's this I hear about Maureen writing a song?" Maureen blushed.  
  
"It's nothing really, just. . ." Roger grabbed the napkin off the table.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I know. It totally sucks. It's just for the wedding band. . ." Maureen explained  
  
"No. Mo, this is really good."  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
Roger didn't reply, but he plucked a few strings on his guitar. "Here." He handed her the napkin. "Sing this." He played a short tune, and Maureen began to sing along.  
  
"She hides in her shadow She's afraid of her own true self But she'll act out a scene Of confidence and pride So calm and undoubting That she can take a leap of faith You don't think you can harm her 'Cause you think she's predestined And safe Don't let it surprise you when She lets her guard down And don't let it defy you When she falls down," she sang in her belty, rock voice. "Hey, Rog, that was great!"  
  
Mimi laughed. "You two have finally found something in common. So now maybe you'll get along better."  
  
"What are you talking about? Mo and I get along just fine," Roger protested.  
  
"Ok. Let's think. Last month, you two were in a screaming match because someone ate the last pear. Then there was the time when Maureen almost ran you over on her motorcycle. There was also the time when you practically crushed Maureen with last year's Christmas tree. . ."  
  
"Ok, ok, ok!" Roger gave up. Maureen pretended to be angry.  
  
"That Christmas tree gave me a huge bruise on my ass! And it's still there! You wanna see the damage you did?!"  
  
"Uh, I'll pass." Roger quickly turned away and Maureen giggled hysterically. 


	10. Not Denying Emotion

Mimi's heels dug into the ice on the sidewalk as she made her way to the Cat Scratch Club. The snow looked more like gray slush on the ground. It was freezing outside, and she had nothing but fishnets and a mini skirt to warm her legs.  
  
"I swear, if one more man touches my tits when I sit in his lap tonight. . ." she muttered to herself. "I'm fed up with this fucking job!" she cried a little too loudly. A few tourists across the street glanced nervously at her and quickly made their way into the nearest building. "Yeah, you heard me!" Mimi screamed at the top of her lungs to let out her anger.  
  
"But Roger would be so upset if he found out I was fired from my job 'at the café'. . .and then there's the fact that we don't have much money. . .but what would he say if he found out the Cat Scratch Club?" She paused. "Oh great. Now I'm talking to myself. I must have picked that up from Maureen. Oh god, Maureen. . ."  
  
Thoughts of New Year's Eve came flooding back to her. She didn't want to remember it. She didn't want to think about the fact that Maureen was going through something she could do nothing to help.  
  
"You always have to solve everything, don't you Mimi?" she asked herself sarcastically. "I have enough of my own fucking problems. I have to go to this shit hole every night to make some fucking money! Maureen's a drama queen anyway." Even as Mimi said those words she knew she didn't mean it. She even regretted it, even though she hadn't said those words to anyone but herself. "Forget regret or life is yours to miss," she quoted half- heartedly. "No day but today," Mimi mumbled as she entered the club.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
"Alright, let's do it again," Mikey said gruffly.  
  
"Argh. Mikey, I wrote the damn song. I think I know it already." Maureen sighed dramatically.  
  
"Do you wanna do good at our next gig or not?"  
  
"Fine." Maureen gave in.  
  
"What's up with you? You got PMS or something?" Mikey asked and the others laughed idiotically.  
  
"The exact opposite." Maureen replied and they looked at her stupidly.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm just really tired, ok? And you all are pissing me off!" Maureen began pacing nervously. It was a new habit she had picked up ever since New Year's Eve.  
  
"Meow!" Mikey hissed like a cat. "What the hell is wrong with you?"  
  
She stopped paced and moved on to biting her already short nails. "Nothing!" She sat down on a speaker and stared at the floor. "Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all," Maureen said trying to convince herself as well as the others.  
  
Mikey just rolled his eyes and mouthed "Drama queen" to Charlie who began laughing stupidly.  
  
Maureen turned to Charlie. "WHAT?!"  
  
"I was just. . .geez, Mo."  
  
"Just leave me alone, ok?"  
  
"I didn't do anything!" Charlie whined defensively.  
  
"Look, I really don't feel very well. I'm going home." Maureen grabbed her jacket and started for the door.  
  
"You can't do that!" Mikey shouted on her way out. "You're a part of this band too!"  
  
"Just give me a break, ok? And it's not like you're gonna find any other singers anytime soon. We're not exactly making it big time," Maureen shot back sarcastically.  
  
"Go then. But it won't be my fault if you fuck up our next gig."  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi returned from the Cat Scratch Club to find Maureen lying down on the couch reading a romance novel.  
  
"Hey. You ok? You don't look too good," Mimi began as she sat down beside her.  
  
"Ugh. I'm fine I guess. Just really exhausted."  
  
Mimi nodded. "I can tell." Maureen smiled weakly. "So did you schedule an appointment with your doctor?"  
  
Maureen's eyes wandered to the window.  
  
"Did you?"  
  
She picked at the skin next to her thumbnail. "No."  
  
"Well, why not?"  
  
"I hate doctors. . ." Maureen began.  
  
"You're gonna have to get over that, 'cause you're gonna be seeing a lot more of them in the next few months."  
  
"I know." Maureen turned back to her novel as an attempt to get out of this conversation.  
  
"Mo." Mimi gently closed the book. "Tell me the real reason."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it." Maureen reached for her novel, but Mimi pulled it out of her reach. "Oh come on! No fair! I was just getting to the graphic sex scene!" She sighed and sat up. "Ok. I'll talk."  
  
Mimi smiled. "Go on then."  
  
"Well, I don't know. Right now. . .the fact that I'm pregnant doesn't seem like a reality. I. . .I don't want to believe it's true. I just want to forget it and move on with my life. I have a life, you know. Ok, so I have a job with a crappy wedding band and just got knocked up by my agent and dumped by my girlfriend but I HAVE a life! And this just throws it all off course. So if I went to the fucking doctor he would have to tell me, 'Yes, Maureen dear, you are going to be a mother' and it would all be a reality right then and there and I don't want to hear that. . ." She resisted the urge to cry. "I don't want to be a mother, Meems. I just can't."  
  
A single tear ran down her cheek. Mimi was left wordless, so she just nodded. "Maureen. . .I'm sure you could. . ."  
  
"Could what? Go through with this? Have my agent's baby? Be a mom? I'm not a mother. I mean, what would my kid say if someone asked him. . .or her. . .about me? 'My mother is a whore who lives in the East Village and had me because she sold herself to her agent. Oh, by the way, she's bisexual too, and she'll have sex with anything that moves.' I would screw the poor kid up just like my mother did to me! Look how I turned out!" She was practically screaming by now. Even so, Maureen was doing everything possible to prevent herself from having a total break down.  
  
"Honey, calm down. . ."  
  
"Calm down? How am I supposed to do that?! I'm a pregnant woman! I have an excuse!" She cried. "Call me a drama queen. Go ahead. Don't think I don't know what people say about me. I know. 'Maureen the Drama Queen' or 'Maureen the Whore' or my personal favorite-'Maureen the Dramatic Whore Who Thinks It's Ok To Get Laid By Her Agent!'" She was standing up now and pacing the room. "See, you can't even deny it, Mimi! Because that's what people say! Do you know why? Because it's the truth! And I've always been afraid of the truth. . .especially now. Now the truth is worse than ever." Her voice grew quieter. "Meems, I've never really loved someone before. I never got caught up in a relationship with anyone. I never expressed my true feelings to them. So it makes me wonder. . .if I've never loved anyone before, then how am I supposed to love my baby?" Maureen sank back onto the couch and put her head in her hands. She was sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"Mo. . ." Mimi rubbed her back gently. "It's ok." She wrapped her arms comfortingly around Maureen and hugged her tightly. Maureen buried her face in Mimi's shoulder. "Everything is gonna be fine." A tear escaped from the corner of Mimi's eye, and soon she was crying too. After several minutes, Mimi looked up to find Collins, Mark, and Roger standing in the doorway looking very uncomfortable.  
  
Maureen gulped. "Oh god, no."  
  
"Um, hi," Mark mumbled awkwardly. "Something wrong?"  
  
Maureen quickly wiped her eyes. She turned to Mimi. "Should I tell them?" she whispered.  
  
"If you want to."  
  
"Ok. Well. . .since you're all here. . .I might as well tell you that I'm. . .well, I'm. . ." Her bottom lip began to tremble. Mimi squeezed her hand.  
  
"Hold it together, Mo," she whispered. Maureen nodded, still struggling not to begin sobbing again.  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
Roger's jaw dropped. "You're what?"  
  
"I said that I'm. . ."  
  
"I know what you said." Roger still looked dumbfounded. "Whoa. How the hell did you and Joanne manage to. . ."  
  
"It wasn't Joanne," Maureen interrupted as she became impatient with Roger's stupidity. "In order to make a baby, you need a man and a woman," she said slowly as though speaking to a child. Mimi laughed quietly.  
  
"I know! I know!" Roger blushed. "I just. . .who did you. . .?"  
  
"Roger. I don't think this is a good time for that," Collins said almost sternly.  
  
"Oh. Right."  
  
Mark shifted uncomfortably. "Well, erm, I suppose a congratulations is in order?" The others looked at him quizzically.  
  
Roger cleared his throat. "Uh, right. Congrats, Mo."  
  
Collins joined in. "Of course. Congratulations."  
  
Maureen gave a small, shy smile. "Thanks. . .I guess."  
  
There was an awkward silence.  
  
"Well. . .um. . .I'm going to brush my teeth." Roger quickly left.  
  
"I'll help! Um, no I mean. . .never mind. . ." Mark followed.  
  
Collins walked toward Maureen. "Can I talk to you for a moment in private?" He glanced toward Mimi. Mimi raised an eyebrow at Maureen who shook her head urgently. Mimi followed Roger and Mark out of the room.  
  
Collins turned back to Maureen. "It was him, wasn't it?"  
  
She studied a stain on the floor.  
  
"Maureen." Collins gently touched her chin and turned her face towards his. "All I want to know it why."  
  
She grasped his wrist and moved his hand away. "I. . .I don't know. I can't think about this right now."  
  
"You're going to have to. Every action has a consequence."  
  
"I told you I don't want to. . ."  
  
"How are you going to support a child, Maureen? How are you going to get the money you need? Have you thought about abortion or adoption?"  
  
"Collins, shut the hell up. This is my baby. I'm not a little girl. I can take care of myself."  
  
"Obviously not. Have you even scheduled an appointment with your doctor?" He went on.  
  
"God, Mimi was just bugging me about this. Why is everyone on my back?" Maureen began walking to Roger and Mimi's room.  
  
"Because we're your friends and we care about you," Collins replied. "And I would rather not lose another friend."  
  
Maureen stopped. She had always thought she was "Maureen the Bitch" in everyone else's minds, but now she realized that Collins really did care. He cared about everyone. . .Mark, Mimi, Roger, and Angel. And he was often pushed into the background and ignored, yet still he continued to love them all unconditionally the way Angel had.  
  
"I'm sorry," she murmured and pulled him into a quick hug before he went back to his apartment. "Thanks for caring, Collins." 


	11. Life Support

[AN: Oh my goshness! So sorry it took sooo long. It's short, but hopefully the drama will satisfy all my faithful reviewers! Mwah!]  
  
Maureen sat rigidly in her chair in the waiting room. All she could think of was order. Cleanliness and order. That's all that surrounded her. The green carpet and stiff, pink chairs reeked of Pine Sol.  
  
She leaned over towards Mimi who was casually flipping through a magazine."Why are doctors' offices so clean? It makes me nervous," she whispered. Mimi giggled quietly.  
  
"You'd think you'd be used to it after living with Joanne." Maureen cringed at the mention of her ex-girlfriend. "Oh. . .sorry. I didn't want to. . ."  
  
"That's ok." Maureen was distracted by a woman who just entered. Her stomach was enormous, and she looked ready to explode within seconds. "Damn. . .am I gonna look like that?"  
  
Mimi glanced up. "If you go through with this. . .then, yeah."  
  
"If I go through with this. . ." Maureen repeated the words to herself and stared off into space. Mimi put a hand on her arm to bring Maureen back to reality.  
  
"Just calm down, ok?"  
  
"I'm nervous. I can't help it. I hate doctors. . .they give me the creeps." She shuddered for effect.  
  
Mimi leaned back in her chair and sighed. "You look tired."  
  
"You'd be tired too if you were up having a visit from last night's dinner at 2 am."  
  
"Ewww," Mimi squealed just as a nurse with a clipboard entered.  
  
"Maureen Johnson," she called.  
  
"That would be me." Maureen stood and started walked to the doorway. She whirled around towards Mimi. "Aren't you coming with me?!"  
  
"Well, I didn't think. . ."  
  
"Please!" Maureen pleaded with her puppy dog eyes. Mimi gave in and followed her.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Mark and Roger raided the cupboards of the apartment.  
  
"Jesus. There's nothing here," Roger groaned.  
  
"So what will it be? Crackers or Jello?" Mark held up a box. Roger grabbed the crackers from him.  
  
"Mark! These expired two years ago!"  
  
"Well, crackers are crackers. It can't be that bad." He opened up the box and peered in. "Ugh. Never mind." Mark turned on his camera and directed the lens into the box of crackers. "Zoom in on old crackers. . .or what used to be crackers." Roger made a disgusted face. He was getting ready to throw a handful of marshmallows in Mark's face when the door flew open revealing Mimi and Maureen with grocery bags.  
  
"I can go through with this! That's it! I'm getting an abortion!" Maureen dropped her paper bag and it ripped. Soup cans rolled all over the kitchen floor. She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door.  
  
Mimi set the grocery bags she was holding onto the counter. "Mo. . .you haven't even thought about this. . ."  
  
"I don't care! And who are you to tell me what I think about?! It's my body, and it's my baby! I can do what I want!" Maureen's voice was muffled through the bathroom door.  
  
"I just don't want you to do something you'll regret. . ." There was silence from the other side of the door. Mimi let out an exasperated sigh and sank onto the kitchen floor next to Mark and Roger. They stared at her blankly for a moment.  
  
"Guess it didn't go so well," Roger said as he pulled Mimi into his lap. She let her head drop onto his shoulder.  
  
"It went fine actually. She's just. . .confused now."  
  
"I thought the mood swings didn't start until next month," Mark commented which resulted in a punch from Mimi.  
  
"Ow," he whined as he pretended that it actually hurt.  
  
Roger kissed Mimi's head. "Thanks for bringing us some food." He motioned to the soup cans spread all around the room. They all laughed.  
  
"Well. . .let's just say that our food has been arranged. . .artistically," Mark grinned. "We almost resulted to eating moldy crackers. Mimi peered into the old cracker box and grimaced.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "The things men eat. . ."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
Everyone was silent. It felt like a funeral. Technically, it was.  
  
"Why are we letting her do this? Please remind me," Mimi whispered to Roger. He shrugged and turned to Mark who avoided his gaze. Even Collins was there with the pathetic group.  
  
"God, you all look like it's a fucking funeral," Maureen groaned. "You're making things worse."  
  
They all cleared their throats awkwardly. She was right. All of them had gathered in the loft before Maureen left for the hospital for her abortion. Roger and Mark had decided when Maureen announced her decision that it wasn't really that bad. It would avoid the inconveniences of a baby. Mimi shuddered just thinking about that conversation. Inconveniences. It sounded like something unwanted you'd find in your soup. . .not a baby. But Mimi had to support Maureen. . .no matter how crazy or spontaneous her decision was. Collins just seemed all together neutral.  
  
"Well, we should get going. I have to be there by 3:00. Bye." Maureen seemed as though she wanted to make a quick exit from this depressing group. No one could blame her.  
  
Mark made a move to give her a hug, but decided on a handshake instead. Roger and Collins mumbled their departing words, and Mimi walked Maureen out the door.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
The phone rang at 4:30. Mimi put down her toe nail polish and walked on her heels to the phone to avoid smudging.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Oh, Mimi. Thank god it's you."  
  
"Mo?"  
  
"Mimi. . .oh my god. . .Mimi. . ."  
  
"What's wrong? Did something happen? Did something go wrong?"  
  
"No." There was a pause on the other line. Mimi could hear Maureen sniffling.  
  
"Honey. . ."  
  
"I need you to come get me."  
  
"Sure. Um, why? What's going on?"  
  
"Just come, ok?" She hung up.  
  
Mimi left a note for Roger and left for the hospital.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
Maureen was sitting outside on a bench.  
  
"Jesus. Mo, it's freezing. You could have waited inside." Maureen shook her head and climbed into the car next to Mimi. She didn't say anything for several minutes, until Mimi worked of the courage to get her talking.  
  
"So how did it go?" Maureen avoided the question at first, then her bottom lip began to tremble, and soon the tears were pouring from her eyes.  
  
"I couldn't do it. I just couldn't, Mimi. I can't."  
  
Mimi swallowed and nodded without taking her eyes off the road. "Ok." It was the only thing she could think of to say.  
  
"I'm sorry that I'm screwing up your life, Meems."  
  
Mimi turned to her friend. "Don't say that."  
  
"It's true. God, Mimi, you let me move in with you guys. And I know Roger hates me. . .don't deny it. And now I'm just making things worse for everyone by having this baby. . .I'm sorry. I just couldn't." She buried her face in her hands. "I was scared."  
  
Mimi pulled up in front of the apartment building and rested her head on Maureen's shoulder. "Don't do this to yourself. Everything is gonna be fine. And they're all going to support you no matter what."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
Mimi hated giving people false hope. 


	12. Goodbye Love

[AN: This is quite an exciting chapter. Roger is a bad guy. . .but don't worry. His actions will be explained in future chapters. ::lots of scary music::]  
  
Roger walked into the loft late that evening to find Mimi and Maureen asleep on the couch. A snow storm was taking place outside, and he was surprised that the two of them could sleep through the howling wind and hail. He nudged his girlfriend awake.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Mimi yawned and opened her eyes. "Hey. How was the gig?" She could barely see Roger's figure in the darkness. She reached for the lamp and switched it on.  
  
He shrugged. "It was all right. Sorry I stayed so late. The guys and I went out for a drink."  
  
"I can tell. Your breath reeks," Mimi pointed out. "And you're slurring your words."  
  
"I am not!" Roger whined in slightly slurred speech. Mimi would have laughed, but something about him scared her. Roger wasn't himself tonight . . .at least not his normal self. She wondered if Roger was high, but Mimi quickly pushed the question out of her mind. She trusted him.  
  
Roger motioned towards Maureen. "So did everything go ok?"  
  
Mimi sighed and put a hand over her eyes. "No."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"She didn't do it."  
  
"WHAT?!" Roger gaped at her.  
  
"Shhh!" Mimi glanced at Maureen to make sure she was still asleep. "Yes, Roger. She didn't do it. She couldn't, ok?"  
  
"So she just. . .she just went and then left?!"  
  
Mimi nodded.  
  
"What the fuck was she thinking?! Does Mo realize that this affects US too? It's always been all about her. That self-centered bitch. . ."  
  
"ROGER!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shut the fuck up."  
  
Roger stared at Mimi in shock. "You don't talk to me like that!" He attempted to slam his fist on the nearby coffee table and missed.  
  
"Well I just did," Mimi said flatly and ignored his clumsiness and the possible cause of it.  
  
"Why? So you can defend Maureen the Drama Queen?" he shot back with sarcasm.  
  
"Roger, it's not just like getting rid of some crap in the back of your closet. This her baby, ok? Maureen was basically going to kill her baby, and she didn't want to do that. Why can't you just respect her decision?"  
  
"I dunno. Maybe because now we have a fucking pregnant woman living with us! Her pay is shit, so basically we're supporting her. We're already struggling ourselves, Mimi. We have our own problems! I'm not letting her dump this on us!" Roger yelled.  
  
Maureen finally rolled over and opened her eyes. "Meems. . .? Who are you talking to?" She blinked a few times. "Oh hey, Rog. What's wrong?"  
  
Before Roger lost it, Mimi cut in. "Nothing. Go back to sleep, honey. I just have to talk to Roger about something." She glared at him.  
  
Maureen looked from Mimi, to Roger, and then back again. "Seriously. . .what's going on? Oh my god, you told him." Maureen cringed.  
  
"Why the fuck didn't you do it, Mo?! Could you please answer that?" Roger shouted.  
  
"Roger, let's talk about this when you're not. . ." Mimi began.  
  
"I AM NOT HIGH OR DRUNK! I JUST HAD A FEW SHOTS!" Roger turned back to Maureen. "So why?!"  
  
"I don't know! I just couldn't. . ." A tear escaped from the corner of her eye.  
  
"Exactly. You don't know! You're too busy being selfish to realize that this affects everyone. It's not all about you!"  
  
"I. . .I'm really sorry, Rog. . ."  
  
"Well that isn't good enough! So you get an abortion or you're moving out!"  
  
The words seemed to hand in the air for a moment. Mimi, Maureen, and even Roger had to stop a moment to take it in. Mimi returned to her place on the couch and wrapped her arms around sobbing Maureen.  
  
"It's ok," she murmured as she stroked her hair. "He didn't mean it. He's not thinking straight. And I won't let him."  
  
"I think I know what the fuck I mean when I say it!" Roger was enraged. "Go ahead! Take HER side! See if I care!"  
  
Maureen stood and threw her arms in the air. "Stop it! Just. . .just stop! I don't want to be the cause of this. Please. . .stop fighting. Please. . .I don't want . . ."  
  
Roger turned back to Maureen. "If you weren't such a whore this never would have happened! You were stupid enough to go and sell yourself. . ."  
  
"No!" Maureen sobbed. "Don't say that!"  
  
"It's true! You know it's true! God, do you EVER stop crying?! Maureen, LISTEN to me!" He knocked the lamp over. The light bulb flickered and went out.  
  
"ROGER!" Mimi yelled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LEAVE HER ALONE!"  
  
Roger turned to his girlfriend with eyes blazing so fiercely that they were visible in the dimly lit apartment. Mimi's stomach dropped. She had never seen him so angry before, and there was no telling what he was going to do.  
  
"You don't EVER talk to me like that again!" Roger cornered Mimi and raised a fist.  
  
"No!" Maureen screamed as he brought down his strong hand across Mimi's face.  
  
Mimi cowered in the corner and touched her left cheekbone gingerly. She winced as it stung with pain. "Meems, oh my god. . .are you ok?" Maureen moved towards her, but she was stopped by Roger. "Don't touch me!" She pushed him away. "You hit her, Roger. Oh my god. . .what's wrong with you? Do you even know what you just did? This isn't ever about her!"  
  
"Don't, Mo," Mimi said quietly. "He's drunk. . .or he's on something. . .he doesn't know what he's doing. . ."  
  
Roger wheeled around to Maureen. "You're right. It's not about her. It's about you! You had to come here and ruin everyone's lives!"  
  
"That's not true!" Maureen had never seen Roger like this in her life. Something was very wrong.  
  
"You cheated on Mark. You cheated on Joanne. You moved in with us and expect us to support you and this baby of yours! You can't expect us to be sympathetic . . . it's your own fault that you're a slut! You had an opportunity to fix everything, Mo, but you didn't do it! So like I said, get an abortion or move out!"  
  
"You bastard!"  
  
Roger shoved Maureen roughly slamming her into the wall. Her body lay entangled on the floor, limp and lifeless.  
  
"Maureen! Oh my god . . ." Mimi tore across the room despite her throbbing cheek and kneeled beside her unconscious friend. She was breathing, but totally knocked out. Mimi's tear-stained face looked up at the face of the man she had loved until that night. "You hurt her," she sobbed. "I can't believe you tried to hurt her . . ." Roger's expression did not change. He showed no sign of feeling or regret in the least. Mimi's feelings of sadness and terror were quickly replaced with anger. "Get out of here," Mimi snarled at him. "Stay away me! And don't you ever, EVER touch Maureen! I never want to see you again!" The ease in which those last words flew out of her mouth surprised Mimi. Never in her life had she imagined saying it to Roger.  
  
"Good." Roger's stone cold eyes proved that he meant it. He grabbed his jacket and left, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Mimi shook Maureen slightly. "Mo? Maureen, wake up. Please be ok . . ." She cradled Maureen's head in her lap.  
  
After a few minutes, Maureen's eyes fluttered open. "Mimi. . .it hurts. It hurts so bad."  
  
"Don't worry, honey. I'm going to get you to the hospital so we can make sure the baby's ok."  
  
"Oh my god, the baby!" Maureen whimpered. "He tried to hurt me, Meems. He really wanted to hurt my baby. I'm so sorry, Mimi. . .I'm so sorry he hit you. . ."  
  
Mimi touched her swollen cheekbone and winced. "And to think that I loved him. . ."  
  
[AN-::hugs Maureen and Mimi:: I'm sowwie I had to hurt them. . .please don't kill me! ::runs:: Review and make my day!] 


	13. Fear

[A/N: Oh wow, it's been a while. Sowwie!]  
  
Thousands of thoughts were pouring through Mimi's mind as she paced the hospital waiting room. Thoughts she never thought would cross her mind . . .  
  
"Mimi! Just sit down and relax for a second. You're making everyone in this room nervous," Mark told her. She obeyed and found a nearby chair. She grabbed the nearest magazine and pretended to flip through it. "Mimi."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're hands are shaking."  
  
"Are not!" Mimi turned away as Mark put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just. . . I don't know what I'm feeling but I'm gonna fucking have a break down any second."  
  
Mark took a deep breath and let it out. "Well . . ."  
  
"No, Mark. There's nothing you can say that will change anything. It won't make a difference."  
  
"What did he do to you two?"  
  
"I told you on the phone." She brushed his hand off her arm.  
  
"All I know is that he hurt you. Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
Mimi resisted at first, but she knew that Mark had to know. She must have scared him to death when she called earlier that evening sobbing about Roger hitting her and something about Maureen needing to get to a hospital.  
  
She shivered as she plunged into the story."Something was seriously wrong with him. Maybe he was drunk. I don't know . . .this just wasn't like Roger at all." Mark nodded and Mimi wondered how he could be so calm. "And he found out that Maureen didn't get an abortion. So he was screaming all this shit at her, and I was just trying to defend Maureen. . .that's all. . ."  
  
"Is that when he hit you?"  
  
Mimi nodded grimly. "Maureen freaked out and started yelling at Roger. . .and he slammed her into the wall. . .oh God, Mark, he must have hurt her so bad. He was crazy. This is all my fault . . .I can't believe I let this happen. . ." Mimi leaned against Mark and he put an arm around her.  
  
"It's not your fault. It's Roger's fault." For the first time, Mimi heard pain in Mark's voice. Mark had always been able to cover his feelings, but not now. "Meems, we should really tell the police. This is crazy. Now Roger's out on the street, and who knows what he's going to do to innocent people! And what are the doctors going to think?"  
  
"I can't . . .I can't call the cops on my own boyfriend. I don't know . . ."  
  
"What did you tell the nurse?"  
  
"I said that Mo fell down the stairs." Mimi attempted to appear engrossed in the pattern on the carpet to avoid taking this conversation any further.  
  
Mark could no longer stay calm. "Mimi! What the fuck were you thinking?! Just a few hours ago you were going on about how much you hated Roger for what he did to you and Maureen, and now you're defending him?! What's wrong with you?" Mark said a bit too loudly which resulted in several rude looks from others in the room. Mimi couldn't remember the last time he had blown up at her.  
  
"I don't know! Just give me time to figure this out!" Mimi pleaded, and Mark instantly felt sorry after hearing the hurt in her voice.  
  
"Sorry," he muttered.  
  
Mimi turned away and clenched her fists in frustration. "Why can't they fucking let me go see Maureen?"  
  
Mark returned to his relaxed self. "I'm sure she's fine."  
  
"That doesn't make me feel any better. I need to talk to her and tell her I'm sorry. Mark, I can't help thinking that I could have done something. I could have changed something . . .if I hadn't mouthed off at him then he never would have hit me and Maureen would never have gotten hurt . . ." Mark searched for something to say, but Mimi went on. "Mark, I should be there for her right now." Mimi marched over to the front desk.  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
The woman at the computer didn't look up. "EXCUSE ME!" The woman jumped.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I would like to see Maureen Johnson immediately."  
  
"I'm sorry. We can't have visitors at the moment . . ." she attempted to explain. Mimi ignored her and went on.  
  
"That's spelled J-O-H-N-S-O-N. So if you could please give me her room number -"  
  
"We're sorry. No visitors are allowed at the present moment." The woman looked a bit flushed. "Please return to your seat so that we can keep this waiting room a stress-free environment."  
  
Mimi lost it. "Stress-free? You call this stress-free?! You know what I call it? I call it-" Mark came up behind her and clapped a hand over her mouth before she said any more.  
  
"Meems, let's go sit down, ok?" He glanced apologetically at the woman at the desk and guided Mimi back to her chair. "You're not going to help anything."  
  
She sighed. "You know how Maureen hates hospitals. She's probably fucking scared to death. And she was actually looking forward to being a mother. What if Roger ruined that for her? What if she lost the baby? What if . . ." She trailed off as a doctor approached.  
  
"Are you here for Maureen Johnson?"  
  
Mark and Mimi nodded.  
  
"You can see her now. Come with me." Mimi jumped up and followed him down the hallway and Mark trailed behind.  
  
"Is the baby ok?" Mimi whispered, almost fearing the answer.  
  
"We don't know yet. So far, things look fairly well," he answered and pointed them in the direction of Maureen's room before leaving.  
  
Mimi approached the door. "Mark, are you coming?"  
  
"No . . .I think I'll walk around for a while and try calling Collins again. You talk to her. I'll be there in a few minutes." He brought out his camera from his pocket. Mimi smiled inwardly at the familiar sign of Mark's camera. He always pulled it out when he wanted to hide from his emotions. Perfect timing.  
  
Mimi nodded without protest and pushed open the door. Maureen was apparently asleep on the hospital bed. She had an IV attached to her and an assortment of other things that Mimi could not identify. She moved closer and pulled up a chair beside the bed. Maureen had an enormous bruised lump on her forehead and another on her upper arm. There was a bandage around her wrist. Tears stung Mimi's eyes when she saw all that Roger had done. Mimi felt her own bruise on her cheek that she had expertly covered with make up. A wave of guilt washed over her as she compared Maureen's injuries to her own.  
  
We should be switched around, Mimi thought to herself. I should be in the hospital bed. Mo didn't deserve this.  
  
Maureen opened her eyes, and Mimi quickly wiped her cheeks. "Mimi!" She tried to sit up and winced.  
  
"Hey. So how do you feel?"  
  
"Like shit." Maureen laughed sadly. "They said I have a slight concussion and I broke something . . .I don't remember what. It's impossible to tell. Everything hurts. Did they tell you anything? Is the baby ok?" Mimi noted the worry in her friend's voice. Not very long ago she was ready to take the life of her baby. Now she was terrified that she wouldn't be able to save it.  
  
"They don't know yet."  
  
Maureen nodded and ran a hand over her stomach. "Meems . . .I don't know what I'd do if . . ."she trailed off without needing to end her sentence. She paused. "Mimi?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are you ok?"  
  
Mimi almost smiled at Maureen's concern. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine." Her conscience told her differently.  
  
Maureen didn't look very convinced. "I'll repeat the question. This time, look me in the eye and give me an honest answer. Are you ok?"  
  
Mimi looked up and met her gaze. She thought about the events of the past evening, and couldn't help the tears from falling. "No," she whispered. "No . . .I'm far from ok."  
  
She opened her mouth to say more, but an overly cheery nurse in a smock with pink balloons had just entered. She cleared her throat, although she already had the two women's teary eyes fixated upon her. Maureen swallowed expectantly.  
  
"We have news that your child is going to be fine," the nurse grinned. Maureen nodded at her clown-like face. "Visiting hours will be over in a few minutes. We'll have to keep you over night for observations, but you can return to your home in the morning." Without waiting for a reply, she walked, or rather skipped, from the room.  
  
"Oh thank God. . ." Tears of relief began pouring down Maureen's cheeks.  
  
For a brief moment, all that had happened was forgotten. "Mo! I'm so happy for you!" Mimi squealed as she squeezed Maureen's hand.  
  
"So I'm really going to have a baby now."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They dissolved into silence. And in that silence, the previously forgotten memories of several hours ago came flooding back, bringing fear, hurt, and anger along with it. When would the tide recede?  
  
[Ok, I promised that Roger's actions would be explained. . . but I didn't promise that it would be this chapter! Muahaha! Check back soon to find out.] 


	14. How Did I Get Here?

[A/N: Sorry for the wait...yet again...]  
  
Roger jammed his fists in his pockets and shuddered. The snow had turned to an icy drizzle. He had no idea what to do, where to go. He was still trying to comprehend his previous actions.  
  
"Fuck," Roger muttered. "FUCK!" He swore as loudly as he could. Not many people were out in this weather, so there was no one to hear the incredibly frustrated man pacing down the sidewalk. The hail grew worse, and he ducked under the nearest awning and looked up at the address. It appeared familiar to him. This apartment building was occupied by Scott, the bass player for his band. Without pausing to think, Roger tried the door, which swung open easily. He had only been here once before, and struggled to remember the apartment number.  
  
When he thought he had it right, he knocked loudly on the door. Scott appeared in nothing but a pair of sweat pants. "Rog?" he half-yawned. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I. . .I dunno. . .I just did something really bad. . ." Roger seemed lost in his thoughts.  
  
Scott opened the door wider and allowed Roger to enter the apartment that was about as sloppy as Scott looked. A slew of beer cans covered the floor, and clothes hung haphazardly on the meager pieces of furniture. "What's going on?"  
  
"Scott, I just hit Mimi. I. . .I hit her. . .why the hell did I do that?" He sat on the sofa and out his head in his hands struggling not to let tears fall.  
  
Scott gaped at him. "You what?"  
  
"And I hit Maureen. . .I must have hurt her real bad. She wasn't moving when I left. Oh my God. . .she's pregnant, Scott. I just fuckin' hurt a pregnant woman and hit my girlfriend. Why did I do it?! Just one thing got me mad. . .I had only had a few beers. . ."  
  
Scott gave him a nervous glance. "Rog. . ." He paused and struggled with his words. "Was this after the party?"  
  
Roger nodded.  
  
"Did you drink from the cans of from the keg?"  
  
"It was the same thing. What does that matter? I didn't have that much anyway! I told you! And the rest of the time I was drinking Coke."  
  
Scott's eyes bulged unnaturally. "You drank the Coke?!"  
  
"Yeah. . .why?" Roger gave him a puzzled look.  
  
"Rog, look, I'm really, really sorry. . ." Scott began to back away slowly.  
  
Roger stood. "What the fuck did you do?!"  
  
"Roger. . .just calm down. Well, you see. . .Matt and I spiked the Coke."  
  
"You-you-with what?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
"What do you mean you don't know?! You did it!" Roger exploded.  
  
Scott shifted from foot to foot. "Matt gave it to me. Some drug. . .I don't know. My vision was blurry. I only did it because I was drunk as hell. I never thought. . ."  
  
"Right. You didn't think." Roger was surprisingly quiet. No matter how hard he tried, the tears kept rolling down his cheeks. "You didn't think and I didn't think. What the fuck was that stuff? I let it go to my head. . .and now LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!" He lost control of his emotions. "HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!"  
  
Scott was still disbelieving that he had actually caused this. "I. . .I. . ."  
  
"If I wasn't high I never would have reacted like that. I JUST HIT MY GIRLFRIEND! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!" Roger grabbed Scott by shoulders and shook him with fury.  
  
"Whoa. . ." Scott, the stronger one, removed Roger's hands from his neck. "Rog, I'm sorry, ok? I can't change what happened. Just go back and tell them that-"  
  
Roger cut him off. "Go back?! How the hell am I supposed to go back there, Scott? I hurt Mimi. She's never gonna believe me. . .and what if they ended up in the hospital?! I told you. . .Maureen wasn't moving. And she has a baby. . ."  
  
Scott watched him cry and felt a pang of guilt. "Listen, you can stay here. I'll go talk to them in a few days, ok?"  
  
Roger nodded. "You got me into this. You better get me out."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Home sweet home," Mark said a little too brightly as he, Mimi, and Maureen entered the loft. Collins was there waiting for them.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Mark was the only one to acknowledge his greeting. Maureen limped over to the couch and sat down.  
  
"You two ok?"  
  
Maureen nodded and glanced over at Mimi who didn't answer. "Meems, you haven't said anything all day . . ." she began.  
  
"I'm fine," Mimi said quickly and left for the bedroom.  
  
Collins examined Maureen's badly bruised knee and bandaged wrist. "I don't believe this."  
  
"Yeah. Neither do I."  
  
Silence.  
  
Mark cleared his throat. "So. . .any news from Roger?" Collins shook his head.  
  
"Could we please not talk about him?" Maureen appeared to be close to tears. "I'm sick of hearing about the man who tried to kill my baby." She left abruptly.  
  
Collins and Mark glanced at each other uncomfortably. "There has to be an explanation. . ." Collins muttered to himself.  
  
Mark shook his head. "I hope you're right."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Mimi, can I come in?"  
  
Maureen opened the door to find Mimi sprawled across her bed sniffling. "Oh honey. . ." She sat down beside Mimi. "Talk," she commanded.  
  
Mimi lifted her face from the covers. Make-up was smeared under her eyes. "I love Roger, Mo. I really love him. But I just don't understand why he did it. I never thought this would happen."  
  
She cried for a few minutes while Maureen fiddled with her curls. "I'm sorry," Mimi said after a while. "I'm still just a little shaken up I guess." She propped herself up on her elbow.  
  
"Yeah. Me too."  
  
Mimi stared at her for a moment. "Oh my God."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Maureen! You're showing!"  
  
Maureen turned away. "Am not!"  
  
"Yes you are! Lemme see!" Mimi giggled and tried to pull Maureen's arm away.  
  
"No! Mimi! Stop. . .I'm ticklish!" Maureen laughed and pulled away, but she was handicapped by her bandaged wrist and Mimi won.  
  
A defiant smile spread across Mimi's face. "There. See?"  
  
Maureen blushed. "Yeah. I know." A tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"It's nothing. I'm happy about the baby, really I am. I just. . .I miss Joanne. I really want to talk to her right now. . ." She sniffled and Mimi wrapped her arms around her. "Have you heard from her?"  
  
"Mo. . ." Mimi sighed. "We weren't gonna tell you this right now but. . ." She could feel Maureen's muscles tense.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Collins heard from the guy next door to him that Joanne moved out."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"I'm so sorry. . ."  
  
"Oh my God. . ." Maureen began sobbing for what felt like that millionth time that week. "Ugh, will it ever stop?! Is the universe trying to punish me or something?!"  
  
Mimi grabbed her hand. "I know how you feel, Mo."  
  
"No you don't," Maureen snapped and pulled away.  
  
"Yeah, actually I do. Except my lover tried to hurt me and I still don't know why." There was pain in her voice that Maureen had never heard before. "I have to go to work." She grabbed her bag and made her way to the door.  
  
"Meems. . ."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I wish I could change it."  
  
Mimi smiled sadly. "I know. Me too."  
  
[I told ya his actions would be explained, didn't I? Yes, I did. ::grin::] 


	15. Starting Over

[A/N: whoopee, I updated! Thanks to all my faithful reviewers (ya'll know who you are). Mwah! Oh yeah, this is the first chapter title that doesn't have any lyrics from Rent in it. Don't let it scare you. Haha.]  
  
Maureen entered the loft after returned from her band rehearsal. Mark greeted her from the kitchen table. Camera parts were spread all over. Apparently, he was trying to fix something.  
  
"I told them," she grinned. "You should've seen Mikey's face."  
  
Mark laughed. "I wish I could have been there." He fiddled with the camera lens. "How's your wrist?"  
  
"Ok. Still a little sore. How's Mimi?"  
  
Mark shrugged. "She just got back from work. God, Mimi is so quiet now."  
  
"Yeah. . ." The two of them silently reflected on the past events.  
  
Mark's sad expression was replaced with a grin. "Oh yeah, I bought you something while I was out today."  
  
Maureen's face lit up. "Oh really? What is it?" She bounced up and down in her seat. Mark handed her a book and she read the title out loud. "Pregnancy for Dummies." She laughed. "Thanks, Marky." She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
He blushed pink and wiped off a trace of hot pink lipstick. "I was reading some of it before you got home. It's very. . .erm. . .interesting." Mark made a face.  
  
"This is great, Mark. Really it is."  
  
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. It was Scott.  
  
"Is this about Roger?" Mark asked without a greeting. Scott nodded, and Mark called for Mimi. "Oh. . .uh, come in."  
  
Scott entered with a grave expression as they all seated themselves on the couch. An unbearable tension filled the room. Mimi gripped Maureen's hand.  
  
"Roger told me what happened." Scott's gaze moved to Mimi's cheek where she had failed to conceal the bruise with make-up. "And I wanted to tell you that this was my fault."  
  
"What?" they said almost in unison.  
  
"The night after the gig I was drunk. I wasn't thinking straight at all. A friend of mine gave me something and told me to spike the Coke, so I did." He paused as if he was too ashamed to go on. "Roger was drinking that night, but not much. He did, however, drink more than enough Coke to make him act irresponsibly. Roger was high that night. He never would have hurt you if I hadn't. . .I'm sorry."  
  
They all stared in disbelief. Mimi began crying, and Maureen whispered something inaudible to her. Mark just sat there feeling out of place and wishing he had left them all alone for this conversation.  
  
Scott went on. "Roger was too ashamed to come here himself. If you would've seen him crying. . .he didn't understand what had happened. He'll be so happy to know that you're both ok. I know it would be hard to find forgiveness for him. . .but this was all me. I can't stand to think of worse things that could have happened." He stood to leave, but just before reaching the door Scott turned around. "Don't worry about forgiving me. Just forgive Roger. He loves you, Mimi. He wanted you to know that."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------- Mimi awoke in the middle of the night feeling cold. When it registered in her mind that it was because Roger was absent from his side of the bed, her heart sank. She glanced that the clock. It was one in the morning. Mimi heard a noise coming from outside her door, so crept out of bed to investigate.  
  
Maureen was lying on the couch reading with a flashlight. The lamp Roger had broken many nights before was yet to be replaced.  
  
"What are you doing up?" Mimi asked. Maureen jumped and shined the light in Mimi's direction. She squinted and shielded her eyes.  
  
"Oh, hi. Sorry. I couldn't sleep. How about you?"  
  
"Same here. Mind if I join you?" Mimi plopped down on the couch. She grabbed Maureen's book. "What are you reading?"  
  
"Oh. . .Mark got that for me."  
  
Mimi read the title and laughed. "That was nice of him." She sighed. "So what do you think of all this?"  
  
Maureen shrugged. "I don't know what to think. . .are you gonna forgive him?"  
  
Mimi paused a moment. "I want to. When I'm ready. Are you?"  
  
"I don't know. . ." She laid back onto the pillows.  
  
"But he was high. He never would have done that if he was thinking straight," Mimi protested.  
  
Maureen chewed her bottom lip in thought. "It's just so hard. . .he almost killed my baby. That's not an easy thing to forgive. I would forgive him under normal circumstances but. . .I don't know. Things are so different now. I'm different."  
  
Mimi laughed quietly. "I've noticed."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I never thought Maureen Johnson could get more emotional. I was wrong." She giggled.  
  
"Hey!" Maureen whacked her with a pillow and pretended to pout. "It's all little Junior's fault!" She pointed to her stomach.  
  
Mimi rolled her eyes. "Junior?"  
  
"What am I supposed to do? Call my baby 'it?' That's insulting!"  
  
"Insulting? Can a baby be insulted before it's even out of the womb? And even then, the baby wouldn't understand English. . ."  
  
Maureen narrowed her eyes. "Well, Junior can hear you in there, so you better be nice."  
  
Mimi tossed a pillow at her head and missed. "I can be nice. But first, let me work on my aim."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi was standing in front of him. She was beautiful...glowing in light. He reached out to touch her golden skin, to hold her. But another hand, one not attached to his body, struck her. She fell. He tried to catch her, but she hit the floor. And then it was no longer Mimi. The body on the floor was Maureen. Lying still. . .not breathing. . . blood. Red. Spiraling into a tunnel. . .red. . .blue. . . green. . .colors. . .and darkness.  
  
Roger was jolted awake from his dream. "Rog. . .I just got back." It was Scott. His voice sounded distant. Roger groaned and rolled off the couch.  
  
"And. . .?"  
  
Scott shook his head. "I don't know. I think you need to talk to them."  
  
"What?! Now?!"  
  
"No, but soon. If Mimi really loves you she'll understand."  
  
Roger shook his head and ran his fingers through his unruly mop of hair. "Yeah, yeah. I hope so."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The next morning, Roger climbed the familiar stairs up to the Loft. He felt as though he was in his dream again, not believing what he was doing. He watched his own trembling hand move to the door. Roger knocked.  
  
The door opened revealing Mimi. Her hair was down, and it fell down her back gracefully. Roger missed her hair. And her eyes. Roger could never forget those eyes.  
  
Mimi stared at him a moment as though in shock. She gave him a shy smile. "Hi."  
  
Roger was able to stop admiring her for a moment to get some words out. "Hey. Can I come in?"  
  
She nodded slowly. "Yeah."  
  
Mimi opened the door wider and let him into the Loft. Roger felt like a guest after having to ask to enter. Maureen was standing in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal. She looked up and her eyes widened. She dropped the cereal bowl and it smashed. Maureen hurriedly ducked behind the counter to pick up the pieces without saying a word.  
  
Mimi turned to Roger. "Hold on." She ducked behind the counter as well.  
  
"I don't want to see him," Maureen whispered.  
  
Mimi sighed. "You know you're going to have to talk to him sometime. It might as well be now."  
  
"Now? I can't do this now. . .just a little over 6 more months, Mimi. That's all I have left until I'm back to my completely normal self. Please don't make me do this. . ."  
  
"Well, I'm not talking to him alone. You're coming with me," Mimi hissed and tugged Maureen up by the elbow. "Come on."  
  
They made their way across the room (with Maureen muttering things to herself and rolling her eyes the whole time) and seated themselves on the opposite side of the couch from Roger. Roger noted how far away from him they sat.  
  
"What? Afraid I'm gonna hit you?" he muttered sarcastically. They shrank back. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."  
  
"Whatever." Mimi seemed to have overcome her brief moment of fear and was now back to her usual attitude. "So. . ."  
  
"Look, I'm really sorry."  
  
"Oh, that makes such a big difference," Mimi snapped sarcastically. She had almost forgotten her thoughts of forgiving Roger that had crossed her mind only last night. Now that he was here, it was different. It was more real. Maureen seemed too shaken up to say anything, but she managed to give him one of her signature eyerolls.  
  
"What the fuck am I supposed to say, Mimi? I know it's not gonna change anything, but I had no idea what I was doing!"  
  
"I don't know! Maybe we're just going too fast. . ."  
  
Roger exhaled deeply. "Waiting isn't going to make this any harder." Mimi nodded. "Look, I didn't mean it. Mimi, you know I would never hit you. And Mo. . .God, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. . .or your baby. I don't even know what the hell I said that night. . .but I know it was bad. So I'm sorry."  
  
Maureen nodded slowly without any emotion in her expression.  
  
"So am I forgiven?" Roger looked at the two of them and smiled sheepishly.  
  
"It's not that simple, Rog," Mimi sighed. "It's gonna take some time. . .but I think I can. Eventually." She looked to Maureen.  
  
"I don't know. I'm sorry. . .I just don't know." Mimi gave her a warning look. "But I'll try," Maureen added quickly. Mimi smiled.  
  
Roger stood. "Well, I'm gonna get back to Scott's apartment so. . ."  
  
"Wait," Mimi said, then hesitated. "You can stay here and sleep on the couch. Maureen can stay with me. . .if that's ok. . ."  
  
Maureen swallowed. "Um, yeah. I guess."  
  
"Really?" Roger's eyes brightened. "I'll go back to Scott's place and get my stuff."  
  
Mimi walked with him to the door and he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Not yet," she whispered turning away. "I'm not ready for that."  
  
Roger looked slightly hurt, but he seemed to cover it well. "Ok. Bye."  
  
Mimi turned to Maureen. "Looks like we're starting over." 


	16. Cleanup In Aisle 3

[A/N: Four words: too much to do! I'm never going to get this story completed if I keep going at this rate. Bug me to update more often.]  
  
Roger was jolted awake from his deep sleep on the couch by the banging of cupboards in the kitchen. He rolled over sleepily.  
  
"Shut up," Roger mumbled, but his voice either wasn't heard or ignored. He heard someone slam a fist on the counter.  
  
"Damnit! Don't we have any watermelon?" Maureen's voice called.  
  
Roger lifted his head. "Mo. . .what the fuck? There are no watermelons in New York in March. And what makes you think we would have any?"  
  
"You don't understand, do you?!" Maureen erupted. "I NEED watermelon! It's been all I can think about for the past three days. . .and I'm starving! I can't stop eating. . .but there's always that little place that isn't full. You know why? That place is reserved for watermelon and I need watermelon NOW!" She slammed a book on the counter and flipped through a few pages. "Chapter Five-FOOD CRAVINGS!"  
  
"It's five in the morning. . ."  
  
"I don't care," Maureen whimpered. "All I wanted was a little piece of watermelon. . ." She sat down on the counter and put her face in her hands. "Now fruit is making me cry! Goddamn fruit! Urgh!"  
  
Roger sighed and ran his fingers through his tangled hair. He sat across from Maureen on the opposite countertop. "Listen, how about I go to the grocery store today and see if they've got any. I was planning on going anyway."  
  
"Stop being nice to me," Maureen said quietly.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Because it makes me want to forgive you." She roughly shoved a bag of hotdog buns back into the cabinet behind her.  
  
"Mo, I told you I'm really sorry about what happened. . ."  
  
"Yeah, I know," she snapped. "But you don't know what that was like, ok? It scared the hell out of me. I was halfway conscious and they're telling me that I could lose my baby and I didn't know where Mimi was or what happened to her. God, I was afraid you were going to kill her or something! You probably could have if you wanted to, and then what would have happened? Roger I can't believe you were so. . ." She stopped and seemed to asses what she had just said. "I'm sorry. It wasn't even your fault. You must think I'm a total bitch."  
  
Roger stared at her a moment. "Women are way too complex for my level of understanding."  
  
"Just you wait. You have much to learn, young grasshopper." Maureen faked a karate chop move. "What I'm trying to say is. . ." she paused and thought a moment. "I think I can forgive you now. . .under one condition."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Maureen grinned. "Don't let it happen again, and buy some fucking watermelon!"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi pulled some tofu from the grocery store shelf.  
  
"No way," Roger said. "That stuff bounces." Mimi giggled.  
  
Collins and Maureen glanced at each other with confused expressions as Mimi, Mark, and Roger erupted into laughter.  
  
"Inside joke?" Collins asked.  
  
"Yeah." They nodded.  
  
"Ok. . ." Maureen continued to be confused. "C'mon, Meems. Let's get some watermelon!" She dragged Mimi to the next aisle.  
  
Mimi nudged her when they were out of earshot. "So you forgave Roger?"  
  
Maureen nodded as they went through the produce section. "Yeah. I guess so."  
  
"Thank God," Mimi sighed. "Now maybe things will be back to normal for a while. Well. . .almost normal." Maureen didn't reply. "Mo?"  
  
Maureen dropped the bag of fruit she was holding back into the crate. Mimi followed her gaze. "I guess she didn't move too far." They were staring at a woman in the next aisle. It was Joanne.  
  
Maureen clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my God. . . Mimi, I gotta talk to her." Mimi grabbed her by the arm.  
  
"Hun, don't do this to yourself right now, ok? You've been through enough. Let's go."  
  
"No! You don't understand. . .I need Joanne. I still love her."  
  
"After what she did to you?"  
  
Maureen paused. "You mean what I did to her."  
  
Mimi ignored her last comment and went on. "But she abandoned you."  
  
"You still love Roger."  
  
"That's different."  
  
Maureen pulled away from her and went over to Joanne. "Pookie. . ."  
  
Joanne turned around. "Oh. . .I. . .Maureen. . .hello."  
  
"Hey." Maureen suddenly felt shy for the first time in her life.  
  
Joanne looked her up and down as though inspecting her. "You didn't get an abortion?"  
  
She shook her head. Maureen was slightly hurt by this comment, but decided to ignore it.  
  
"Well. . .good for you."  
  
"Yeah. I guess so." She shifted from foot to foot. "So I was wondering if maybe sometime we could. . ."  
  
"No," Joanne said firmly before Maureen could say more. "I can't. Not after what you did. It just wouldn't work out. . .it would be too painful. . .for both of us."  
  
Maureen gasped. "But Pookie. . ."  
  
"No, Maureen. I told you we couldn't be together again. I'm sorry. . .really, I am. I have to get going now." She put a few items in her cart. "Good luck with everything."  
  
Maureen nodded and walked slowly back to the produce section. Mimi had apparently overheard the whole thing. "You ok?"  
  
Maureen nodded. "She loves me. I know she does. . .but she won't admit it. I'm going home. I'll meet you guys back at the loft."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Collins trudged against the wind through the park later that day. It was supposed to be spring, but the weather was just the opposite. He hugged his coat tightly around him. The coat Angel gave him. It brought back too many wonderful, painful memories. They were memories that he had been trying so hard to forget, yet they always found their way back into his mind where they haunted him day after day. It was too much to bear. Collins found himself a seat on a bench and cast his coat off to the side where he didn't have to look at it.  
  
"Hey. . .can I borrow that?" a small voice asked from behind him. Collins turned to find a woman seated on the ground behind his bench. Her torn sweatshirt gave little protection from the biting wind.  
  
"Yes. . .yes, of course," he replied. Collins examined the bruise on her face. "Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?"  
  
"No. I'm fine," she replied hurriedly and tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. "I was just mugged. . .someone took my coat. . .I'm fine though, really." She eased herself onto the bench as Collins put his coat around her trembling shoulders.  
  
Collins studied her face. She obviously wasn't ok. This woman was very frightened from the looks of her, but that wasn't what caught his attention. Something about her face was very familiar. . .but he couldn't quite tell what it was. "Would you like me to take you home?" he asked.  
  
Her pale blue eyes swam with tears as she began to pour out her story. "My boyfriend kicked me out of his apartment. I just. . .I ran. All I took was my purse. I figured I'd have enough to get a room somewhere. . .but they took it with my coat." She put her face in her hands and let out a sob. "I'm sorry. . .I don't even know you."  
  
"I'm Collins."  
  
"I'm Kelly."  
  
"Well, Kelly. . .I'm living alone right now and the thing I need most is some company. I'd be willing to help you out and let you stay with me a while until you can find a job and get your own place." Collins surprised himself by his own spontaneous offer, but anything was better than living alone. Maybe she could help him to forget. . .  
  
Kelly smiled at him. "Collins. . .wow. . .you're a stranger. You don't have to do that."  
  
"But I want to. Come with me. I have some friends you'd like to meet." 


	17. Thunder

Mimi and Maureen were the only two in the loft that evening. The guys had left when they noticed an argument heating up, and no one could blame them. Even Mark, the usual peacemaker, had suddenly realized that he had forgotten to buy more film and left immediately.  
  
Mimi let out an exasperated sigh. "How many times am I going to have to do this? How many times are you going to go out and get yourself hurt and then I have to come running and make everything all better?"  
  
Maureen didn't answer.  
  
"Maureen!"  
  
"Don't even say it, Mimi!" she burst out. "Don't even tell me that I brought this upon myself, because I already figured that out!"  
  
"Good."  
  
Maureen walked back and forth in front of the couch. "I love Joanne. She's worth getting hurt for."  
  
Mimi crossed her arms. "Then don't come running to me when it happens again!"  
  
"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself!" Maureen shouted. She realized how many times she doubted her own words.  
  
Mimi lost her temper. "Then why do you do this to yourself? Why do you put yourself through this?"  
  
"I love her!"  
  
"She abandoned you!" Mimi shot back.  
  
"You still love Roger."  
  
"That's different."  
  
Maureen took a step back. "You don't even know what I'm going through right now. Yelling at me makes it worse."  
  
"Getting people to feel sorry for you isn't too great either, is it?"  
  
"I AM NOT!" Maureen shouted. "I just want someone to listen to me!"  
  
Mimi lost control of her frustration. "I've been listening, Maureen! I've been listening ever since this whole thing started. I listened to you cry and I tried to make it better. I let you whine. I let you bitch. You did this to yourself, so why should I even try to make it better any more?!"  
  
"I'm human! I make mistakes! You have too, you know!"  
  
"Well at least I didn't go out and get myself knocked up by my agent like some whore!"  
  
They stood breathing heavily and glaring at each other. Maureen's eyes slowly filled with tears. Mimi realized what she had just said and clapped a hand over her mouth.  
  
"Mo. . .I didn't mean that," she whispered. "Oh my God. . .I'm sorry. . .Maureen, I'm so sorry. . ." She felt hot tears rolling down her face. "Let me take it back. . ." She took a step forward and Maureen backed away.  
  
"No," she said quietly. "I think I heard enough to know what everybody thinks of me. Thanks for the reality check."  
  
She fled for the door just as Collins was entering with Kelly. "Maureen, I want you to meet. . ." but he stopped when Maureen kept walking. He and Kelly looked from the door to Mimi and back again. "I guess this isn't a good time. . ."  
  
Mimi ignored him and ran to the door. "Maureen! Please. . .I didn't mean it!" They all heard the door to the apartment building slam.  
  
Collins glanced nervously at Kelly. "Uh. . .welcome."  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Collins, Mark, Roger, Mimi, and Kelly all sat around the living room after dinner. Kelly was beginning to explain how she had ended up there.  
  
"So I lived with my boyfriend in Manhattan for a while. He was a lawyer. I really don't know what happened. One night we had a fight and next I was on the street with nowhere to go. So I ended up here." She smiled warmly at Collins and then realized that Roger was staring at her. "What?"  
  
"It's nothing. You just look so familiar. . ." Roger trailed off.  
  
"I thought so too," Collins added. "But I can't put my finger on it."  
  
"Same here," muttered Mark.  
  
Kelly shrugged and fiddled with her bracelet.  
  
Mimi spoke up. "It's after ten. Maureen should be back by now." She glanced outside at the pouring down rain. "I hope she's ok. . ."  
  
"You know Maureen," Mark said. "She probably wants to freak you out anyway. She'll be back."  
  
"No, you don't get it. She was really upset this time, Mark."  
  
The men rolled their eyes and Roger pulled Mimi into his lap. "Does that make you feel better?" He kissed her neck.  
  
"Rog, stop it!" she giggled.  
  
"Fine then." Roger stood and went over to the sink, but Mimi decided to sneak up behind him. She leaped onto him wrapping her legs around his waist and gave him an incredibly long kiss.  
  
"Now that's better," Mimi grinned  
  
Mark leaned over to Kelly. "Sometimes we wonder how they can breath like that." She giggled.  
  
"Please! Not in front of company!" Collins groaned.  
  
Mark smiled. "Come on Collins, just let em' go at it. It makes things feel normal."  
  
Normal. That single word allowed realization to settle over the room that Roger and Mimi were together again. Nothing could have made them happier.  
  
"Normal? Are you including Maureen?" Roger snorted.  
  
Mimi jumped as a clap of thunder seemed to shake the apartment. "Obviously not."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------  
  
Maureen ran down the street past a line of clubs. She went by a doorway and stepped in. She'd do anything to get out of the downpour, even if it meant entering one of these buildings filled with drunks and junkies.  
  
Smoke filled her lungs and Maureen practically choked. She found herself in a packed dance club with women dancing seductively in glow-in-the-dark bikinis in front of the bar. It was obvious that the place smelled like pot. She tried not to breathe too deeply.  
  
"Holy shit."  
  
A man with his shirt half unbuttoned swaggered over to her with a beer in his hand. Who knows how many he had previously downed.  
  
"Hey baby," he grinned and a line of drool ran down his chin. Maureen could smell his breath. She tried to get away to avoid another run-in with a drunk. "Not so fast, sweet thing." He grabbed her shoulder. "Stay around for some smokes."  
  
She could feel his uncut nails piercing her skin through her drenched shirt. Maureen shivered violently.  
  
Now a group of men were around her. Maureen could see them closing in on her. The air felt heavier and they lit their cigarettes. "I have to go." Maureen tried to push past them, but they stood their ground. "Damnit, just let me go, ok? What would you want with a pregnant woman anyway?"  
  
A strong hand slipped onto her shoulder. "Well look at this. The chick has a baby." They laughed. "So who knocked you up?" He slid a hand around her waist. Maureen kicked him as hard as she could, but the big man didn't even budge.  
  
"Hey look! The pregnant woman is trying to hurt you, Danny!"  
  
"Let's see if the lady wants a smoke. How about that?" The man who appeared to be Danny held a cigarette to her lips. Maureen clenched her teeth shut.  
  
"Stop. . .it's bad for the baby." The smell was making her dizzy. She struggled to stay on her feet.  
  
Danny slid his hand across her stomach. "One isn't going to hurt." He blew smoke in her face.  
  
"STOP!" Maureen screamed, but no one could hear her above the music. She was completely helpless. Time seemed to be at a standstill. Their hands were caressing her. They wouldn't stop touching her. Visions of Jeff flashed before her eyes and Maureen choked back sobs. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not again. But this time she was trying to fight back. . .and couldn't.  
  
She felt a cigarette being forced between her lips. Maureen held her breath, but soon she was forced to inhale the foul smelling weed. Slowly her body began to relax.  
  
"Don't. . ." Soon her punches turned into hopeless nudges against the buff bodies of the men around her. They grabbed at her clothes like animals. The clouds of smoke grew thicker and the ground seemed to sway violently beneath her feet. Maureen projected herself someplace else. She was back at the loft with Joanne. She was smiling at her and saying something.  
  
Maureen didn't stay conscious long enough to hear it.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Her head was throbbing. Maureen slowly opened her eyes. She could hear music pulsing from behind the walls of the room. But what room?  
  
"You ok?" A voice surprised her. She looked up into the face of a man she couldn't recognize.  
  
"I don't know. . .what happened?" Maureen glanced out the window at a flash of lightning.  
  
The man shrugged. "You fainted I guess."  
  
"Did they. . .was I. . ." She couldn't finish for fear of the answer.  
  
"No. And it's a damn good thing I was around to get 'em away from you before they did anything like that. I'm Bal. I work as a bartender here at the club."  
  
Maureen shook his outstretched hand from her place on the floor, still in shock. "I'm Maureen." She touched her stomach gently and wondered how much more harm she could possibly do to the baby inside her. She managed to choke back her sobs.  
  
"I saw those guys messing with you. They're like animals when they get drunk. I kicked 'em out so they won't cause any more trouble. I'm real sorry I wasn't there sooner. There's just so many people and only a few working here."  
  
"Yeah. . ." Maureen tried to sit up. Waves of pain shot through her body. "Ow. . .damnit."  
  
"How about you rest up a while and I'll come back later to make sure you're ok?" The man's kindness surprised Maureen. She was almost uncertain of his honesty. After all, she hadn't had good experiences with men in the past few months.  
  
"I really have to get home." She wanted nothing more than to be back at the loft even though she was still burning with anger from Mimi's words. "By the way, where are we?"  
  
"It's just the back room. There's an exit door right over there." Bal pointed. "But I wouldn't recommend you leaving just yet. I don't want you passing out on me again. . ."  
  
"I'm fine!" Maureen cut in. "Thanks, Bal. Really. But I have to go." She pulled herself to her feet. An awful, dizzy sensation came over her, but she kept running and didn't stop until she got back to the loft.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
[A/N: Those of you asking for more Jeff and/or Joanne interaction- don't worry. There's more coming up. Also, I promise you'll learn more about Kelly later on, and Mark is going to have a larger part in the story.] 


	18. Bad Karma

[A/N: Yes, I'm a writing sloth. Oh well. I'm moving soon, so the computer might be disconnected and my next update might take even longer. . .thanks for bearing with me! Much love to my faithful reviewers.]  
  
Everyone had gone to sleep hours ago except Mimi and Roger. Thunder was still rumbling loudly outside. Mimi was continuing to worry about Maureen, and Roger was too stirred up by the storm raging outside to sleep. He strummed his guitar gently. "She hides in her shadow. . .she's afraid of her own true self. . .but she'll act out a scene of confidence and-"  
  
"Stop," Mimi said suddenly. "That's Maureen's song. . .just stop."  
  
Roger put his arms around her. "Stop worrying, Meems. She's fine." He kissed her forehead. "What are you worrying so much for, anyway?"  
  
"I just feel like this was-"  
  
As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Mimi practically sprinted to answer it. "Oh my god. Mo, honey, what happened?"  
  
Maureen realized how awful she must have looked to them all. Her clothing was soaked through, her hair a wild mess. . .and she felt awful. Maureen stumbled over to the couch and Roger put down his guitar and grabbed her arm to steady her.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. . ."she muttered as she eased herself onto the couch. "I'm just really dizzy. . ." Maureen lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. "It's freezing in here."  
  
Roger helped her pull off her coat and flung a blanket over her shivering body. "God, are you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, I told you I'm. . .I don't know. I don't know what happened." Her attempts to keep from crying were fruitless.  
  
"Maureen. . ." Mimi reached out to touch her but Maureen recoiled. "Just lie down, ok? God, it's pure hell out there." She motioned to the window just as a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky. Even Roger jumped at the loud clap of thunder that followed. "Tell us what happened," Mimi whispered. When Maureen refused to speak, she went on. "Listen, I'm really sorry. I don't know why I said what I said before."  
  
Maureen hiccuped as fresh sobs overcame her. "I'm sorry too. You were right. I was throwing everything on you. . ."  
  
"Now you know I didn't mean. . ."  
  
"I don't care. It's true and I know it."  
  
Roger cleared his throat as if to remind them that he was still present for their sympathetic apology. Mimi giggled at him. "I'm going to bed so you two can continue. 'Night." He gave Mimi a kiss and left for the bedroom with his guitar. -----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"This is too much," Maureen sighed after finishing her story. "First Joanne, then Jeff, Roger, the baby. . .now this. I swear it's a curse, Mimi. It's like bad karma or something. I just want to make it stop."  
  
Mimi rubbed Maureen's hands in her own to warm them. They were still freezing from the wind and rain. "How do you feel now?"  
  
"I don't know. A little sick. . .my head feels like it's going to explode. . .other than that, I think I'm ok. I just don't know about little Junior here." Maureen stroked her slightly larger stomach. "Damnit, I have to go through enough. Why does it have to affect my baby, too?"  
  
"I'll take you to see the doctor tomorrow morning just to make sure everything's ok," Mimi offered. "Just get some sleep, ok?"  
  
Maureen rolled over and looked at the clock. "Mimi. . .weren't you supposed to be at work a few hours ago?"  
  
"Shit," Mimi groaned. "I wasn't thinking about it. Great. Now Bud is going to fire me."  
  
"Who's Bud?"  
  
"A guy that works at the. . .café. I have to go." Mimi grabbed her bag.  
  
"Won't your shift be over by the time you get there?"  
  
"I'm sure I can take someone's place in the show-" Mimi caught herself. "I mean, take someone else's shift. . ." She rushed out the door with the regret of lying still burning within her.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Kelly was helping Collins set up the extra bed in his living room. "That Mark guy seemed nice. . ."  
  
Collins smiled. "Yeah, he is isn't he?" He grabbed one end of the sheet and tucked it under the mattress.  
  
"Does he live there with Mimi and Roger?" Kelly asked as she tugged at a pillowcase.  
  
"Yes. . .hmm, do I sense a budding romance?" Collins teased with a grin.  
  
Kelly blushed. "No! God, Collins, I've been living with you for under five hours and you've already found a way to annoy me."  
  
He smiled. "Well just for the record, it annoys me when people spend an hour in the shower. There. Now you can get back at me." He laughed. "Angel used to do that. . ."  
  
Kelly sat down. "Who's she?"  
  
"He," Collins said with emphasis, "was my boyfriend. Or more like a girlfriend."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Does it bother you that I swing the other way?"  
  
"No, no! Of course not!" Kelly laughed. "I just didn't know. So does Angel live in this building, too?"  
  
Collins didn't answer. Kelly wondered if her question had been a mistake. Before she could change the subject, Collins began to explain. "Angel died a few years ago. She had AIDS. . ."  
  
"Oh. . .god. . .I'm sorry. I didn't want to. . ."  
  
"It's fine. Don't worry about it. She had such a kind heart and wonderful fashion sense." Collins gave a weak smile and Kelly laughed quietly. "It's just been hard to move on ever since it happened, and spending so much time alone hasn't helped."  
  
Kelly hugged him. "Help is on the way."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi pounded on the office door at the Cat Scratch Club. "Bud! Damnit, answer the door!"  
  
He poked his head out. "Mimi, how nice of you to show up. You know, for work. For your job," Bud spat sarcastically.  
  
"I'm sorry, ok? My friend was-"  
  
"Do I look like I give a shit about your friends? We had some unhappy men out there! I had to send DARLENE out there to do her dance number. You remember Darlene-the girl who doesn't know her left foot from her right and trips across the stage! I can't have people working here who don't show up because of their 'friend troubles.'" He held up his fingers to form quotation marks. "You're fired."  
  
Mimi stomped one of her leopard print boots on the floor. "No, I'm NOT!"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
She quickly thought out an explanation. "You can't fire me. There are people who come here to see me. What happens when I'm gone? You lose business."  
  
Bud thought this over. "Listen, just get out of here. I can find someone else."  
  
"NO, you CAN'T. Bud, I can't lose this job. I'll work harder. I do something better. . ."  
  
"You will?" Mimi didn't like the way Bud was grinning. "Then take it all off."  
  
"What?"  
  
Bud spat some chewing tobacco on the ground. "You heard me. You can dance around in skimpy little clothes all you want, but those guys out there want the goods. They wanna see it all."  
  
"What the fuck. . ."  
  
"If you don't, I'm firing you. What's your man gonna think when you stop going to the 'café?'"  
  
"Go to hell."  
  
"Is that a yes?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Bud nodded approvingly. "Then show up on time tomorrow night or else you don't have a chance."  
  
Mimi thought it over as she walked back to the loft. Would she lose her job, or lose Roger? 


	19. Hide and Seek

[A/N: This will be my last update before I move. I thought I needed some comic relief, so here it is. It's kind of fluf-ish. Oh well. See if you can find the hidden line from an Idina Menzel song and the hidden Wicked scene. Those who guess correctly get virtual Diet Coke.]  
  
Collins had decided that everyone would go out to dinner at the Life Café in honor of Kelly, the new addition to their group of friends. Mark was sitting on the floor getting his camera ready for the event when Maureen came stomping into the living room.  
  
"Damnit!" She sighed loudly. "Mark, do I look fat?"  
  
"Um. . .no. . ."he said, giving the obvious answer.  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"What am I supposed to do? If I say no, you accuse me of lying. If I say yes, you go off on a tangent about how fat you supposedly are." Maureen gave him a look that could kill, so Mark quickly added, "Not that you're fat. Not at all. Besides, pregnant women are supposed to be a little. . ." he chose his words carefully, ". . .rotund."  
  
Maureen threw her hands in the air. "Rotund?! Oh, that makes it sooo much better! Really!" She struggled with the zipper on the back of her leather pants. "I'm getting too fat for these. . .urgh. Mark, will you zip this for me?" She turned around so her butt was practically in his face.  
  
Mark yanked at the zipper trying not to look down. Too late. "Maureen. . .is it normal for pregnant women to wear thongs?"  
  
"Is it normal for white people to wear dreadlocks?" she replied sarcastically. "I'll go find someone who appreciates my underwear."  
  
"Who? Roger? Mimi won't be too happy about that." Maureen slugged him. "Feel better now?"  
  
Maureen laughed. "Yes, actually I do."  
  
Mark lifted her despite Maureen's screams with surprising strength and dumped her onto the couch. "So do I."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mimi stood in front of the bathroom mirror trying to put up her hair. "I'm leaving the party early," she told Roger, who was washing his face.  
  
"I thought you didn't have to work tonight."  
  
"I didn't. But since I was gone yesterday I'm coming in tonight for a few hours." Mimi gave up on her hair and left it as it was.  
  
"I'll miss you." Roger slid his hands around her waist.  
  
Mimi turned around and kissed him. "Then my welcome home kiss will be even better then, won't it?"  
  
Their small smooch soon turned into a much longer one. Roger leaned against the door with Mimi practically on top of him, but he accidentally put his hand on the doorknob and they went tumbling out into the living room.  
  
"Ow. . ." Roger said from the floor. Mimi giggled hysterically from on top of his stomach and gave him yet another kiss before getting up.  
  
Mark and Maureen stared blankly at them. "So that's why they call it 'falling' in love," Mark muttered. "Come on, you two lovebirds. Collins and Kelly will be here any second."  
  
----------------------------------------------------- "So you're Maureen," Kelly said as they all squished into a booth at the Life Café.  
  
"That would be me."  
  
"I hear you're into theatre. I've been trying to make in on Broadway for the past few years."  
  
"Oh really?" Maureen appeared interested, and soon they were engaged in an in-depth conversation leaving the others clueless.  
  
The rest of their meal involved Mimi practically beating Roger to death with a menu. Mark filmed the french-fry fight that followed.  
  
"This is like old times," Roger made the mistake of saying. Both Collins and Maureen grew slightly quieter for the rest of the night remembering those who were absent. The uncomfortable silence was only interrupted when Mimi left for work.  
  
"We knew you'd show up," Marcie smirked as Mimi entered the dressing room. "You look nervous."  
  
Mimi slammed her bag onto the table and sat down ignoring Marcie.  
  
"Don't worry. At least they'll enjoy it," Marcie went on. "Maybe as much as Roger would. . ."  
  
Mimi could feel herself turning red with rage. "Marcie. . ."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Mimi held her breath to keep from saying anything she didn't want to. She pulled out the boa usually worn with her costume.  
  
"You won't be needing that," Marcie commented with a smirk. Before Mimi could let out a reply, Bud came banging on the door.  
  
"Mimi! Get your ass out here! You're on!"  
  
Suddenly Mimi was being shoved through the crowed hallway backstage. "Bud, I can't do this. . ."  
  
"Too late."  
  
With one more push she was on the stage with the glare of a spotlight in her eyes. She could barely make out Bud racing to the back of the club to watch. The music began and Mimi danced just as usual. Soon she began to relax and feel the music. The plans of removing her clothes were forgotten.  
  
"Take something off," Bud was mouthing to her. Mimi kept dancing. It looked like the vein in Bud's forehead was ready to burst. She saw him quickly scribble something on a piece of paper and held it up. Mimi squinted and read, "You're FIRED" in bold letters.  
  
"Shit," she muttered under her breath between dance moves. Her fingers closed around the zipper on the back of her shirt. "Do it for Roger," Mimi told herself over and over in her mind. Somehow she couldn't picture Roger wanting her to do this, but they needed money. She needed to keep a job. It was a necessity. But why did Mimi still feel so uneasy?  
  
"Don't be ashamed! Show us watcha got!" a voice called out in the crowd. Murmurs of agreement seemed to echo throughout the men in front of the stage.  
  
Mimi couldn't think. There was no right or wrong. There was only that light blaring in her eyes with the music blasting behind her and a crowd full of men hungry for a glimpse of something hidden. And because of her love for Roger, Mimi decided not to hide it any longer.  
  
[Please don't hurt me!] 


	20. The Time Warp

[A/N: I'm BAAAaaack! Well, I moved and then I was going insane doing all kinds of busy stuff, but I FINALLY found time to update! Whooo!]  
  
"Roger. . ."  
  
He awoke feeling warm breath against his ear. "Mmm. . .Meems," he murmured with his eyes still closed contently. Roger leaned over and kissed her. He was started when she quickly pulled away.  
  
"Whoa, Rog, it's me! You might want to check who the person is before you slobber all over them," Maureen giggled.  
  
Roger sat bolt upright. "MO! What the fuck are you doing?" He paused. "Why am I on the floor?"  
  
"You were a little tipsy last night so you about passed out on my couch. . .and then you must have rolled off without waking up. . ." She continued giggling.  
  
"That explains the headache." He watched Maureen still shaking with silent laughter. "Would you GET OFF OF ME?!"  
  
Maureen grinned. "Not until you tell me what day it is."  
  
"Aren't you supposed to have morning sickness or something?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Just guess!"  
  
"Um, Saturday?"  
  
Maureen imitated the sound of a buzzer on a game show. "Wrong! It's a special day. . ." She began tickling him without mercy.  
  
"Stop! STOP! It's. . .um, your birthday?" Roger guessed.  
  
"YES!" she cried, bouncing up and down.  
  
"Ow. Happy birthday. Now get the fuck off me."  
  
Maureen reluctantly stood. "Fine then. Oh, and Roger. . .you're a real good kisser!"  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
"Meems, you look tired." Roger wrapped his arms around her waist. "I missed you last night." He kissed her forehead and added, "And I woke up with a pregnant lesbian on top of me."  
  
"What?!"  
  
They heard Maureen giggling from the living room. "He slobbered all over me! It was all him!" She came bounding into the living room with a cheap plastic crown on top of her curls.  
  
"I don't know if I should give a birthday present to the woman my boyfriend just had an affair with. . ." Mimi grinned as she pushed a box decorated with patterns of duct tape behind the couch.  
  
Maureen made a leap for it. "Not so fast! And Christ, since when are you so hyper?"  
  
Roger grabbed the box out of her reach just as Mark came in from the bathroom. "Mark, catch!" He chucked the box at Mark, who clumsily dropped it.  
  
Maureen starred at the box on the floor. "Mimi. . .what's in there?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"'Cause it's moving. . ."  
  
Roger and Mark gaped at the ground. Sure enough, the box was inching along the floor.  
  
"I hope you didn't get her a puppy. . ."  
  
"Or maybe it's like. . .possessed or something. . ."Maureen murmured.  
  
Mimi looked from one serious face to the other and burst out laughing. "Open it!"  
  
Maureen reached out and touched the box cautiously. "You sure it won't bite me?"  
  
"Just open it!"  
  
With a deep breath, Maureen plunged her hand inside and pulled out something red and furry. "No way! IT'S A LIMBO ELMO!" she squealed.  
  
"It's for the baby. . .and you, since you seem to be amused by it," Mimi told her.  
  
Maureen pressed the on button. "How low can I go?" squeaked the grinning creature. After taking several robotic steps, it flung itself backward practically bending itself in half. "Elmo does the limbo! How low can I go?" They stared at it as if fascinated.  
  
"Wow. . ."  
  
"What. . .the fuck. . ." Roger said almost in a whisper. "That thing is creepy."  
  
"I LOVE IT!" Maureen cried, breaking the silence. "Thanks, Meems!"  
  
Collins and Kelly walked in. "Hey, you started without us?"  
  
"Oh my god! It's limbo Elmo!" Kelly gasped. "I mean. . .I've seen those before. . ." She blushed as they stared at her in surprise.  
  
Maureen pulled her over to the furry thing dancing around the floor. "You have to watch this! It's hilarious!"  
  
"Oh, before I forget. . ." Kelly pulled a tape out of her purse and handed it to Maureen. "Happy birthday."  
  
"Oh my gosh! It's the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack! How did you know?!" She hugged her tightly. -------------------------------------------  
  
Roger and Collins sat at the kitchen table trying to get limbo Elmo to walk off the edge.  
  
"Elmo's suicide, take one," Mark said as he zoomed in.  
  
"You better not break that thing!" Maureen shouted above the "Time Warp" which was blasting from their tape player.  
  
Kelly and Mimi were dancing around the living room singing at the top of their lungs. "C'mon, Rog, do the Time Warp!" Mimi pulled him off his chair and they started grinding.  
  
Mark grabbed limbo Elmo and headed for the fire escape with his camera. "I'd better get out of here before I see anything I don't want to see. . ." Collins immediately stood to join him.  
  
"Aw, c'mon! You're going to get Elmo to walk off the fire escape without me?" Roger hurried after them.  
  
Mimi pretended to be hurt. "Hey! I just lost my dance partner!" Roger was out of earshot, so she grabbed Kelly and they started doing the salsa.  
  
"Having fun?" The three women whirled around in surprise. A man was suddenly standing in their kitchen.  
  
"We didn't hear you come in. . ." Kelly began as she turned off the music.  
  
"Oh my god. . ." Maureen whispered.  
  
Mimi came up beside her. "Who is he?" She stared at Maureen's horrified expression. "Oh no, it's him, isn't it?"  
  
"It's Jeff. . ."  
  
"Hello, my love. It's been a while, hasn't it?"  
  
Maureen clenched her teeth. "You don't work for me anymore."  
  
"What about our baby?"  
  
Maureen turned pale. "How did you know?" Jeff shrugged with a smirk. "And how would you know if it's yours?"  
  
"How many other men have you had sex with?"  
  
"Go fuck yourself."  
  
"I thought that was your job." They seemed to stare each other down for a moment.  
  
Mimi ended the chilling silence. "Get out of our apartment."  
  
Jeff didn't move. "I would like to have a word with the mother of my child."  
  
"If I wanted to have a word with you," Maureen jumped in, "I would. But I don't want to and it's my birthday and you're disrupting my party so-"  
  
"I think I have a right to-"  
  
"No, you don't!" she screamed at him. "This is my baby, and my kid will never have anything to do with you. Get out!" She began shaking with sobs.  
  
"I really think you should go. . ." Mimi said quietly to Jeff, who didn't hear.  
  
"Maureen. . ." Jeff took a step forward.  
  
"Don't touch me!" She slid her hand protectively over her stomach. "Just go. Please," she pleaded.  
  
Jeff slowly backed away. "Fine. Then we'll discuss this when you're ready." He left as silently as he had entered.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
[If you know the significance of the limbo Elmo, you win a virtual trip to Cyberland!] 


	21. Where the Sun Sets

[A/N: I saw Rent on Saturday! Whooo! The cast was awesome awesome awesome. Oh, and about the Elmo thing in my last chapter. . .you can ask Jan about that (there, Jan. Are ya happy? Hehe).]  
  
Kelly approached Maureen who was writing in her notebook on the couch. She touched her shoulder. Maureen started and turned quickly.  
  
"It's just me. God, you've been really jumpy lately. . ."  
  
"Yeah. . .I know. . ." She began nibbling the end of her pencil.  
  
Kelly sat down next to her. "Is Collins here? He hasn't been home all day. . ."  
  
"Oh, he's probably off by himself somewhere. He's just in one of his moods. How's he been, by the way?"  
  
Kelly shrugged. "I don't know. Quiet. As usual."  
  
"He never used to be like that. Collins was always doing something to change the world . . .but then Angel died and he changed. We all figured having a roommate would help him come out of his shell, you know? I guess he just has to learn how to move on."  
  
"Yeah . . .I know what it's like to lose someone." Kelly sighed and ignored Maureen's questioning look. "What about you? How have you been?"  
  
"Fine." Kelly wasn't convinced. "It's nothing!"  
  
"It isn't nothing when you're that jumpy. It's this whole Jeff thing, isn't it?"  
  
Maureen struggled with herself about what to say. She hadn't been planning on discussing this with anyone yet; if anyone, it would be Mimi. There had still been that thin shield of safety between Maureen and Kelly where they had been more like "acquaintances" than "friends." Kelly had just punctured right through it. "No . . .yes. I'm just a little freaked out, that's all. I never thought about what would happen if he found out. I just assumed it would never happen."  
  
"Well, it's not exactly something you can hide," Kelly pointed out. "At least not for these last five months."  
  
"Believe me, I know." She tugged at her shirt, attempting to flatten it out. Kelly giggled at her.  
  
"Oh, by the way, is Mark here?"  
  
"No. I think everyone is out and about . . ." A smile crept across Maureen's face. "Why?"  
  
Kelly tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and blushed slightly. "I was just wondering."  
  
"You have the hots for him."  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"Yes you do. It's obvious. You should wear a big sign on your forehead that says 'I think Mark Cohen is a sexy beast.'"  
  
"I'm not falling for Mark!" No matter how hard Kelly tried to keep a straight face, she couldn't stop giggling.  
  
Maureen held a nearby glass of water over Kelly's head. "Admit it or you'll melt like the wicked witch."  
  
"But . . ."  
  
Maureen tilted the glass with a threatening cackle.  
  
"Fine! I admit it!" She grabbed the glass of water out of Maureen's hand and took a sip. "Promise you won't tell him."  
  
"I won't. . .maybe." Kelly glared at her. "I was kidding! God, I feel like I'm in high school again. Kelly has a cruuuush!" she sang. "Kelly and Mark sitting in a tree. . .F-U-C-K-I-N-G!" Maureen laughed hysterically at her own joke and continued. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the . . ." She stopped and crossed her arms. "Well who says you have to get married to have a baby, anyway?" She picked up her pencil and began writing again. Apparently, she was trying to end the conversation. A few minutes passed. "Kelly?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What happens if Jeff really does come back?"  
  
"I don't know. . ."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------  
  
Mark and Roger walked through the alley behind CBGBs after lunch at the Life Café.  
  
"You can tell me what's wrong now, you know," Mark said out of the blue.  
  
"What do you mean? I'm fine." Roger kicked an empty can and it went sailing into the brick wall behind them. Somehow his expression wasn't convincing. "I never see Mimi anymore."  
  
"Sure you do. We were just with her at the café."  
  
Roger shook his head. "Yeah. And then she left for work."  
  
"Are you saying you don't want her to work?"  
  
"No. . .we need the money. Especially now with Maureen and everything. But I miss her."  
  
"At least you have someone to miss."  
  
Roger shrugged, his mind somewhere else.  
  
"Would you stop moping? Everyone is moping. You, Collins, Maureen. . .everyone. How about we all just appreciate what we have?"  
  
"You make it sound easy."  
  
"It would be if you tried."  
  
They trudged on in silence unsure whether one was angry at the other. Mark finally turned on his camera and pulled himself up on a nearby fire escape. "Pan the beautiful sunset sinking behind the buildings once again to prepare for the impending morning. Every morning the sun is always there no matter how much appreciation we lack for this simple, yet crucial, wonder of nature. Poetic, huh?"  
  
"Stop trying to teach me a lesson. I get it, ok? No day but today. Yeah, yeah." But Roger couldn't put Mimi out of his mind.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mark tried to get a better shot of the sunset from the fire escape back at the loft.  
  
"The sunset from our view at the loft," he narrated after setting up his camera stand. "You'd think that with a sky so beautiful nothing could go wrong on an evening like this. Apparently, that idea is far from correct. Collins is still out on his own somewhere. He told us he was 'grading papers in the park.' Maureen is inside scrawling down angsty lyrics for her band. I guess the whole Jeff thing really upset to her, but then again, what doesn't upset Maureen these days? Roger isn't talking much. He isn't angry with Mimi, just afraid. He and Mimi seem to have been fine lately, but Mimi's near-death two years ago till haunts him. Roger realizes how we have to make the most of our time with our lovers. They won't be there forever. As for me, I have no lover. I'm still nowhere. And if anyone was interested in me, I think I'd die of shock before I got a chance to get to know them."  
  
"I'll give you CPR."  
  
Mark jumped as he heard a voice behind him. He turned to find Kelly. "Oh hi. I didn't think anyone was listening."  
  
Kelly smiled. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you."  
  
Mark didn't remember ever noticing how beautiful she was. Kelly noticed him looking at her.  
  
"What are you staring at?"  
  
"Nothing," he said quickly. "You look. . .nice."  
  
"Thanks." Her blushing cheeks matched her pink top. Mark surprised himself when he had a sudden urge to touch one of those cheeks. "You look. . .nice too."  
  
"In this?" Mark stared down at his ancient sweatshirt and signature scarf. He couldn't remember the last time a woman had commented on his looks. Not even Maureen.  
  
Kelly laughed. "Yes. In that." She leaned against the railing. "It really is beautiful out here."  
  
"Yeah . . ." They sat watching the sun sink behind the buildings. "Shit, my camera was off. It was the perfect shot," Mark said, breaking the peaceful silence. "But . . .I can get a better shot from the park tomorrow night. Do you think . . .I mean, uh, would you . . .you wanna come?"  
  
"Sure." Mark was surpised by her quick reply. He hadn't expected her to say no. Kelly was too nice to do that. But he hadn't thought she would be so eager either.  
  
"I'm going back in. It's getting cold out." Mark folded up his camera stand. "Well . . ." he paused, unsure whether or not to give her the goodnight kiss he was longing to plant on her soft, full lips. Mark's nerves took over and he decided against it. "Goodnight."  
  
[If you don't review, I'm sending Idina to attack you with a spork. . .so review!] 


	22. Chocolate Kisses

[A/N: Ahhh! Reviewers-I LOVE YOU! Hehe. I got some awesome reviews for my last chapter and they totally made my day. Virtual hugs for everyone!]  
  
html "Hey Mark, can I borrow that?" Roger asked Mark as he started getting his things together for his evening with Kelly at the park.  
  
"What? This?" Mark handed his camera over. "What do you want that for?"  
  
Roger grinned mischeiviously.  
  
"I see that look. What are you going to do?" Collins asked.  
  
"Well remember that time a couple months ago when Mimi stuffed tofu down my pants?"  
  
Mark nodded and Collins cringed.  
  
Roger gripped the camera. "Well it's payback time."  
  
"You're getting her back /i? Isn't that a little late?" Mark wondered.  
  
"Yeah. But this will still be fun. Mimi is in the shower right now. All I have to do is quietly open the curtain, get a little footage, and get out before she murders me."  
  
"Wow . . .what are you using this footage for?" Collins asked.  
  
"Porn," Roger joked. "No, moron, just for blackmail. I'm going in." He mimicked James Bond as he steathily entered the steamy bathroom.  
  
"One, two, three," he whispered before tearing open the shower curtain and turning on the camera. "Surprise!"  
  
What Roger found behind the curtain wasn't at all what he was expecting. He was greeted with a high-pitched sqeal. Roger blinked a few times before realizing who . . .and what. . . he was staring at.  
  
"ROGER WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" Maureen screamed, covering herself. "YOU PERVERT! GET OUT AND TURN OFF THE FUCKING CAMERA! NEVER LOOK AT A PREGNANT WOMAN IN THE SHOWER! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU ROGER DAVIS!"  
  
Roger emerged from the bathroom looking very pink. Mark and Collins waited for him expectantly. "It was . . .I saw . . ."  
  
"We heard," Mark and Collins finished in unison. They could still hear Maureen swearing at him from behind the closed door. "How much did you see . . .?" Mark asked.  
  
Roger covered his eyes. "Too much. Let's just say she's . . .well endowed?" He shuddered.  
  
Mark nodded in agreement and Collins stared at him. "What? I dated her. I should know."  
  
Mimi came from the bedroom. "What's Maureen screaming about?"  
  
"Uhhh . . .you tell her, Roger," Collins said quickly.  
  
"MIMI, YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A PERVERT!" Maureen yelled from the bathroom.  
  
"I'll explain it when we go out tonight," Roger said as an attempt to save himself from being destroyed by two women at once. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Kelly, you look /i," Mimi assured her as Kelly fixed her hair in the reflection of the metal toaster. "I swear if you mess with your hair one more time I'll cut it off." She grabbed a butter knife from the counter and held it next to Kelly's head to prove her point. "Where are you going, anyway?"  
  
"Oh . . .just out."  
  
"With . . ." Mimi promted.  
  
"Well, Mark and I are going down to the park for a little while to film the sunset. He said there's a really great view." Kelly tried to sound casual, but nothing could fool Mimi.  
  
She practically squealed. "You and Mark? No way! This is new. Of course we all knew that you two were bound to end up together sooner or later . . ."  
  
"It's /i a date," Kelly insisted. "We're just going to film."  
  
"Yeah . . .going to film a /b! In case you haven't noticed, when a guy asks a girl to watch a sunset with him it's an obvious sign that he's madly in love with her."  
  
"I guess I didn't get the memo."  
  
"It was announced over the loudspeaker," Mimi joked. "Well I hope you two lovebirds have fun on your date! I'm going out with Roger later tonight, so I have to get ready." She blew Kelly a dramatic kiss. "Tell Marky I said hi!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------- Kelly helped Mark set up his camera stand at the park later that night. Not many people were out, and the city seemed to be unaturally quiet besides the muffled sounds of traffic in the distance.  
  
"So what got you into filming?"  
  
Mark shrugged. "I really don't know. I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. I just . . . I was always taught that you should live each moment as your last, and I wanted to capture those moments so that other people could be a part of them." He thought about what he had just said and blushed. "Sorry . . .I'm getting all corny."  
  
"No, it's ok. I like it."  
  
Mark's mind raced. Did this mean she liked /i too? "You do?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The sun was beginning to turn the sky shades of pink and orange when Mark finally turned on his camera and they sat on the park bench. Mark reached in his pocket. "Here. I got you these. I know they're your favorite." He handed her a bag of peanut M&Ms.  
  
Kelly smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Thanks. How did you know?"  
  
"I asked Mimi."  
  
"Oh. That explains why she was teasing me about going out with you tonight." Kelly popped a green M&M into her mouth.  
  
Mark rolled his eyes. "She was? Oh great. What else did she say?"  
  
"Nothing . . .why?"  
  
"Never mind. Kelly, can I ask you something?"  
  
She stopped munching and turned to look at him. "Go ahead."  
  
"Is this . . .well . . .is this a date?"  
  
"Do you want it to be . . .a date?"  
  
"Do you?" Mark practically held his breath.  
  
"Yeah . . .I would really like that. We could do this more often . . .if you want."  
  
"Sure. I mean . . .I would like that too."  
  
They never got to see the brilliant shade of pink that seemed to ignite the horizon just before the sun sank below it. They were far too captivated by one another's eyes as their lips touched for the first, and not last, time.  
  
Kelly never even heard her cell phone ring.  
  
"Can I get another on the rocks?" Roger asked the bartender at the club.  
  
"Comin' up."  
  
"So Meems, how's work?"  
  
Mimi groaned inwardly. It was the question she had been dreading all night that she knew Roger would ask. Mimi had hoped to distract him by making him tell the story of how he ended up seeing a little too much of Maureen in the shower, but her efforts were fruitless. She hated lying to him more than anything, and she still didn't know why she continued doing it.  
  
"It's . . .fine. It's hard." Mimi figured she could at least be /i honest about how it was.  
  
Roger put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "You don't have to keep working if you don't want to. You can find another job that takes less time, or I could find another one that pays more. . ."  
  
"No. Roger, you know we can't afford to do that. I know this is hard for us not being together as much as we used to. You know I'd do anything to change it, but I can't. It won't be long until some more money comes in. I promise." She kissed him back. "Hold on . . .what's that?" She could barely hear her cell phone ringing above the music.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Mimi?" Maureen's voice was faint.  
  
"Wait, I can't hear you." Mimi moved away from the speakers. "Mo, what happened?" She could hear Maureen sniffling.  
  
"Mimi . . .something's wrong. Something's wrong with the baby. I fell asleep and I woke up and . . . . I tried calling Kelly but she wouldn't pick up. Mimi . . ."  
  
"Where's Collins? Isn't he with you?"  
  
"He left a few hours ago. Just come . . .please. And hurry."  
  
/html  
  
[::plays scary music:: For those of you asking about when Roger will find out about Mimi's job, don't worry. You'll get what you want soon enough. For those of you waiting to hear from Joanne . . .well, you'll find out. Review and get free virtual hugs!] 


	23. The Unexpected Phone Call

[A/N: It's short and to the point. But yeah. There ya go. Sorry it took so long, but I just loved leaving you all with a cliffhanger! Oh, and my html didn't exactly work in my last chapter. Oopsies.]  
  
Roger and Mimi's ride back to the loft had been agonizing. Roger pushed the speed limit and fought traffic while Mimi went over every possible thing that could have gone wrong. Finally they were able to find out.  
  
Maureen was lying on the couch, and to Mimi's relief, conscious. So it couldn't be so bad . . .  
  
"Maureen, talk to me. What happened?" Mimi sat down beside her and Roger shuffled around uncomfortably in the corner.  
  
"I don't know . . ." Her breath was quick. "I woke up and all of a sudden I felt something . . .I've been looking through this book Mark gave me and there's a million things it could be . . .here." She grabbed Mimi's hand and placed it on her stomach. "Feel that?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"God, Mimi, I don't know what's going on . . .I mean something could be wrong with the baby . . ."  
  
"Mo . . ." Mimi tried to interject, but Maureen plunged on in a state of near-panic.  
  
". . .and no one was home and I kept trying to get a hold of Kelly and Mark but no one answered . . ."  
  
"Maureen . . ."  
  
". . .and I tried to call the doctor but I couldn't find the number and I was afraid that . . ."  
  
"Maureen!"  
  
"What?" She snapped.  
  
Mimi hugged her. "Relax, honey, you're fine!" She was giggling.  
  
Maureen tried to push her away. "Wait . . .what? What's so funny?" Mimi's giggling had evolved into full-blown laughter. Roger stared at them from the corner of the room looking dazed with confusion.  
  
Mimi grabbed Maureen's hand. "Feel it now?" Maureen nodded and started to object, but Mimi interrupted. "Mo, the baby is kicking."  
  
"You don't understand, something has to be . . .oh my god." Realization seemed to wash over her. "You're right." Maureen began laughing along with Mimi.  
  
"You have no idea how much you scared me," Mimi said as tears of either laughter or relief fell from the corners of her eyes.  
  
"I can't believe I thought that . . .oh wow. This is incredible. I mean really incredible," she murmured as she continued to feel the fluttering sensation beneath her hand. Maureen glanced over at Roger who was still standing there on the other side of the room. "Roger, come here. You have to feel this!"  
  
He cleared his throat. "I'm fine, thanks. Well, since everything seems to be ok . . .I'll be working on some music."  
  
"Fine, be a party pooper," Maureen teased. She turned to Mimi. "Sorry for making you guys come back here . . ."  
  
"It's ok. I probably would have freaked out too," Mimi laughed. "So what do you think Kelly and Mark were doing at the park if they didn't hear the cell phone?" She grinned.  
  
"Oooh, good point. We'll have to find out. I love making Mark blush!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----  
  
"So what were you two doing at the park?" Maureen asked Kelly the next morning.  
  
Her cheeks flushed slightly. "We watched the sunset. And he bought me M&Ms. Oh, it was so romantic . . ."  
  
Maureen purred. "M&Ms . . .how sexy."  
  
Kelly whacked her with a pillow. "Not that part! The sunset! And . . ."  
  
"And . . ."  
  
"He kissed me."  
  
"No way. Mark?! On a first date?" Maureen could hardly believe her. This definitely wasn't the Mark Cohen she had dated a few years before. "No wonder you didn't hear the phone . . ."  
  
Kelly laughed. "Well, sorry! We were . . .enjoying ourselves."  
  
Maureen decided to agonize her even more. "Good thing it wasn't anything serious. You two would have your lips locked while I keeled over and died back at the apartment."  
  
"Oh please," Kelly rolled her eyes. She mimicked Maureen, "Oh my god! My baby is kicking! I think I'm going to die!" She pretended to faint dramtically on the couch.  
  
"You call that a faint? Maybe in an off-off-OFF Broadway production," Maureen said in a fake snobbish tone.  
  
"At least I save the drama for when I'm ON STAGE!" Kelly smiled sweetly.  
  
"Oooh good one," Mark commented as he entered with Collins.  
  
"Hi . . .Mark," Kelly said quietly. Mark grinned at her.  
  
Collins stepped between them. "How about you save those 'ga-ga' eyes for another time?"  
  
They both turned away quickly and tried to stop smiling. The phone rang, and Mark dove for it so he could get out of this conversation. Maureen grabbed it first.  
  
"Hello?" The color drained from her face. "Hi, Joanne . . ."  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
"You look like you're going to faint," Mimi said later.  
  
Maureen sat down. "Don't remind me."  
  
"When is she coming?"  
  
"Sometime next week. I can't believe Joanne wants to talk to me now. I mean, it's a little late for that." Maureen stared at the door as though her exgirlfriend would appear any second.  
  
"Well, you can't expect her to forgive you right away."  
  
"And she can't expect me to forgive her right away either. Not after the way she walked out on me without letting me explain . . .not that it would have helped." Maureen absently opened a bottle of glow-in-the-dark nail polish and brushed it on to her thumbnail. "Do you think she wants to get back together again?"  
  
Mimi shrugged. "Do you want to?"  
  
"I did. But now . . .I really don't know anymore."  
  
[It's short, I know, but I've been busy so cut Mo some slack! I love my reviewers ::hint hint::] 


	24. Pure Jealousy

[html]

[A/N: I love my reviewers!]

Mark rolled over in bed to find Kelly asleep next to him. He couldn't help but smile. She looked so delicately beatiful with her pale limbs entangled beneath the sheets. Mark moved closer to her to he could feel her shallow, peaceful breathing on his neck. He couldn't believe how things had happened so fast. It was only a week and a half ago that they had gone on their first date, and now he was waking up with a beautiful woman beside him. Mark never thought it would happen. After Maureen had dumped him for another woman, Mark had assumed that there was no one left for him in this world. Kelly had proven him wrong. If only she had the same rejuvenating effect on Collins. According to Kelly, he had rarely been at the apartment. He was always off somewhere thinking. . .about what? Angel, Mark guessed.  
  
Kelly stirred and yawned. "Morning, Marky."  
  
Mark had a sudden flashback of Maureen calling him by that nickname, but he pushed the thought out of his mind. He wasn't going to let a past relationship ruin his current happiness. "Morning." He reached out and gently touched her cheek. It always surprised him how soft her skin was.

"I had fun last night." She giggled softly.

"Me too," Mark said, and he meant it. "How about we do something special today."  
  
Kelly leaned closer to him. "Like what?"

"Well, I just happened to get these tickets . . ." Mark reached over to the dresser and handed them over.

Kelly sqealed. "You didn't . . .no WAY! Mark, how did you know? I've been dying to see The Phantom of the Opera since . . ."  
  
". . .since it first opened. You told me." Mark couldn't hide the fact that he was incredibly pleased with himself.

"Thank you!" Kelly leapt onto his chest and kissed him.

"Ok, ok. I know you love me. Everyone does," he joked. Mark pulled Kelly off of him and stood, wrapping the sheet around him like a cape. "My darling Christine," he said in his most masculine voice, "Shall we prepare for our journey to the opera house?"

Kelly hooked arms with Mark. "We shall!"  
---------------------------------------

Maureen nervously entered the Life Café to find Joanne seated at a table for two. She exhaled slowly desperately trying not to be nervous. Maureen was already fifteen minutes late.  
  
"Sorry I'm late," she appologized. "My doctor's appointment took longer than I had expected." Maureen sat down across from Joanne. "Well . . .hi."

"Hi."

They stared at the menus for what seemed like a century even though they knew they would order the same things they always did. Joanne tried to break the ice.

"So how have you been, Maureen?"

"Great!" she lied, a bit too cheerily. "And how about you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. What's that?" she asked, motioning to the manilla folder in Maureen's hand.

"Those are some ultrasound pictures of the baby. I just got them today." She shoved them across the table. "It's a girl."

"Mimi said you wanted to be surprised."

"I guess I changed my mind."

Joanne shuffled through the pictures. "These are . . .nice."

Maureen lost her previous composure. Joanne's presence was enough to overwhelm her. "Nice? You're looking at pictures of my baby and all you can say is 'nice'?"

"What am I supposed to say, Maureen? I'm trying to be happy for you. It's hard. You can't expect me to feel all giddy about a baby you made when you were cheating on me!" she snapped back, surprised at how easily they had begun fighting again.

"I'm sorry! I can't change it, and you know how much I wish I could. Would you just drop it? I know I hurt you and you know you hurt me so why are we even having this convesation?!" It took a moment for Maureen to realize that she had raised her voice considerably. Several people dining glanced in her direction. "Sorry," she muttered. "Can we just start over?"

Joanne sighed. "We can start over this conversation, but not our relationship."

"Then why did you-"

"You know we have a lot of good times together. Maybe we could just be friends."

The peacemaking statement ended the battle, but suddenly Maureen knew that it could never end their war against love. "Sure."

Joanne crumpled and uncrumpled the paper napkin in her hand. "Honey bear-" She immediately recognized the old nickname and stopped. "Maureen. I just want you to know . . .I hate to tell you this. I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd get your hopes up but . . .I met someone else."

Maureen swallowed. [i]_Don't cry_,[/i] she told herself. [i]_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry_.[/i] "Oh. Who?" [i]_Don't cry, don't cry_.[/i]

"Her name is Shannan. We met last month. I stayed in her apartment in Manhattan for a while."

"Oh."[i] _Don't cry_.[/i]

"Maureen, I really would love to be friends with you and the rest of the gang again. And . . ." she seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. "I want you to meet her."

"What?!" Maureen almost tipped over her glass of lemon water. "I mean . . .why?" This was the last thing she had expected from Joanne.

"I know it would be uncomfortable at first, but I really think you would like her. Everyone would," Joanne said, trying to sound convincing. "I understand if you decide that you don't want to-"

"No. I do. Believe me, I do." Maureen knew she was up for the challenge. Or was she?  
-------------------------------------  
"Just as long as she's not pretty," Maureen told Mimi later. "Then I think I'll go insane."

"You're just jealous. It's normal," Mimi replied calmly.

"Jealous? Are you calling me jealous?"  
  
Roger snorted from behind the refrigerator door. "Isn't that what she just said?"

Maureen threw her hands in the air dramatically. "Great! So you're all against me now! Just great!"  
  
"Jesus, Mo. Would you calm down for once?" Roger returned with a beer and tossed one to Mimi.

"Calm down? I can't! It was bad that Joanne left me but now she has Little Miss Perfect Magazine Editor as a girlfriend!" Her fingers twitched. "God, a want a cigarette."

"You don't smoke," Mimi began.

"Do I LOOK like I give a fuck?"

"We don't have any. . ." Mimi stealthily slipped her hand into the kitchen drawer and tossed a hidden pack of cigarettes to Roger behind Maureen's back. She signaled for him to not let her find them. He nodded with a grin and shoved them in his back pocket. It was too late. Maureen caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Roger and Mimi said in unison exchanging fearful glances. They attempted to look innocent, but nothing could fool Maureen.

"I know you have them. I don't care any more. I just want to sleep." She sank onto the couch and covered her face with a pillow. "Oh, by the way . . .it's a girl."

Roger shoved the cigarettes back in the drawer. "What's a girl?" he asked distractedly.

"The baby, dumbass."

"Oh my god! Mo! Why didn't you tell me?" Mimi bounced onto the couch beside a very irritated Maureen.

"I don't know. I forgot." She pulled a blanket draped on the couch over her head.

Mimi and Roger exchanged glances and decided to leave it at that.   
  
"Ok then . . .I'm making tacos. You want something?"  
  
"No." Maureen's voice was muffled through the blanket.  
  
"You sure? You didn't even eat lunch today, Mo . . ."  
  
"I said I'm not hungry."

Mimi gave up on her and searched through the refrigerator. "Roger, you think Collins will have some tortillas?"

"They're out." Collins had appeared in the doorway. Roger walked over to him.

"Hey. Where have you been? Damn, you don't look so good . . ."

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Collins muttered as he stumbled into the kitchen.

Roger grabbed his arm to steady him. "Whoa, there. What are you [I]on[/I]?"

"Would you get off me?" Collins shook Roger's hand from his elbow. "I was just looking for Kelly."

Maureen emerged from her pile of pillows and blankets. "She's on another date with Mark."

Collins was apparently clueless. "Kelly is dating Mark?"

Roger rolled his eyes at him. "Just goes to show how often you're around. Really, what did you take?"

The dark circles beneath Collins' eyes gave evidence of his lack of sleep, and his clumsy motions could only be caused by drugs. Roger had gone through the same, out-of-whack motions so many times before . . .back when he was a junkie. He shuddered at the mere thought of those days and knew that he wasn't going to let Collins take the same journey down that dark path of confusion and misery.

"He said it would make my problems go away . . .I was desperate. I can't stop thinking about him . . .about her."

"Damnit, Collins! Don't you learn ANYTHING from me?" Roger screamed at him.

Mimi gently put her arms around his shoulders. "Roger . . ."

"How long have you been doing this? How long? Tell me!"

"It's only been a few weeks. Rog, would you stop yelling. My head hurts . . ."

"Well, it should!" Roger lowered his voice. "Just . . .just get some rest. And don't do it again." Collins ambled back to his own apartment.  
  
Mimi pressed her forehead against Roger's. "Shhh. He'll be ok. You know Collins. He was just upset," she whispered.

"I just hate to see him like that. I don't want him to do what I did," Roger said, pulling out of Mimi's embrace. He went out to fire escape and slammed the door shut behind him.

Mimi aimlessly wandered into the bedroom while Maureen retreated back into to her cocoon of blankets, each of them hiding from the cloud of emotions hanging over them.

[/html]


	25. Not a Morning Person

[A/N: Oh my gosh, I freakin' love my reviewers. I know I say it all the time, but I really really do! Everything from the Swedish fish to the human sacrifices really motivated me to update faster. But then I had a freakin busy week (last week of school, etc.) and I couldn't write. Sowwie! I'll try harder to update sooner next time! Oh, and I also apologize for this being so short!]

"Maureen . . ." Mimi nudged the inert lump on the couch. "C'mon. You went to bed at nine last night and it's past noon."

The lump groaned and yawned groggily. "I'm not getting up."

"Joanne is going to be here in a half hour."

"I don't care. Tell her to go fuck herself."

"She's bringing Shannan."

"Oh?" Maureen finally made the effort to peek her head out from under the blanket. She tried not to show interest. "Well I don't care about Joanne's stupid girlfriend. Let me sleep for ten more minutes." Up went the covers and Maureen resumed her previous position.

Mimi knew just what to say. "If I were you I'd start getting ready. You want to look nice for Shannan, don't you?"

Kelly, who was passing through the living room, caught on. "Joanne says she's _really_ pretty."

"Oh please. You're just making excuses for me to get off the damn couch," Maureen said apathetically. However, it didn't surprise Mimi when she immediately got up and began going through the closet.

Mimi grinned at Kelly. "So how was Phantom?"

"Incredible!" Kelly exclaimed. "Of course . . .half the time I didn't pay attention. Mark had his arm around me." She sighed. "It really was romantic."

"Someone is in looove," Mimi teased.  
  
Kelly was about to reply when Maureen's voice interrupted them. "DAMNIT! It has to fit! Why won't it fit?!" The yelling ended with the sound of ripping fabric. "Great . . ."

Mimi entered the closet to find Maureen with a pink tank top half-on and half-ripped. "Bad morning?" she asked cautiously, afraid that Maureen might bite her head off at any second.

"What do you think?"  
------------------------------------------  
An hour later Maureen answered the door in one of Mark's old T-shirts. She had done her best to tie up the sleeves and make it slightly sexy or at least feminine. Her efforts had failed, so she had taken the remaining time to throw her curls into a messy bun and carefully apply her makeup.

"Hi, Joanne . . .you must be Shannan." Maureen suddenly felt sick. Shannan _was_ pretty. No, not even that. Striking.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Shannan shook Maureen's hand in a professional manner. Her auburn hair was swept back neatly revealing the most dazzling blue-green eyes. Shannan's perfect, pale skin was a great contrast against Maureen's slightly-freckled nose. And, to Maureen's disgust, she was thin. She was suddenly more aware of her protruding belly.  
  
"Come and make yourself comfortable. Mark went with Roger to his band gig, but Kelly and Mimi are still around if you want to meet them."

An hour passed while they enjoyed polite conversation, and from Maureen's point of view it wasn't so bad. Until Shannan started talking about her career . . .

"I'm a magazine editor for Hot Kiss magazine. Maybe you've heard of it."

"I don't believe I have . . ." Maureen lied as she remembered the last magazine she had read. She was trying to like Shannan, but jealously was still in the way

"So what do you do for a living?" Shannan asked as though expecting something equally well paying.

"I'm a performance artist," Maureen said with pride. "And a composer," she couldn't help adding.

Joanne raised an eyebrow. "So you're a composer now?"

"Yeah. For my band, the Mystix. Maybe you're heard of us." She smiled sweetly, mocking Shannan's tone.

"I don't believe I have . . ." Shannan mocked back with the slightest edge to her voice. At least she was being honest. Maureen and the others had only named their band a few weeks ago.

Joanne decided that this was the perfect time to mention how lovely it was to spend time with Maureen but they had to rush off somewhere. She whisked Shannan out the door. "I know you don't like her," she whispered to Maureen, "but you'll learn to get along sooner or later." She gave Maureen a stiff, awkward hug before leaving.  
------------------------------------

"Mo, where the hell have you been?" Mikey asked in a very annoyed tone. "Practice started a half hour ago, so _I_ had to sing. Have you ever heard me sing?"

"No."

"You don't want to," Charlie chuckled.

Mikey leaned his guitar against the wall. "Well since we're all here I can tell you the good news."  
  
"Let me guess . . .you're gonna have a baby?" Bert snorted. Maureen socked him in the shoulder. "Damn, that hurt!"  
  
"It hurts worse when it's coming from the inside so leave me alone. I'm having a shitty day and my little girl isn't helping."  
  
"God, sorry. . . "

Mikey ignored them. "We're entering Band Wars. It's a contest for new bands in the East Village. If we win we can get big bucks. Let's face it, we're not doing so well and we could use some new equipment to replace this crap. So are you all in?"  
  
"I am," Charlie piped up.

"Me too!" Maureen said enthusiastically.

Bert shrugged. "I'll do it . . .but is a band with a pregnant chick as the lead singer really gonna win?"

Mikey frowned. He hadn't thought about this before.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on!" Maureen stood. "If I'm not in this, that means I don't get paid for it. And believe me, I need to get paid. And where else are you going to find a singer? And who's going to write new songs for the contest?"

"The chick has a point," Mikey said, scratching his head. "She's in."  
  
"Thank God." Maureen, despite her lack of religion, made the symbol of the cross. At least her day was getting a little better.  
  
"Lord, save us," Bert muttered under his breath.  
------------------------------------------------------  
[I know, I know, it's shorttt. But I'll write a longer one next time!]


	26. Over the Moon

[A/N: As some of you know, I was accepted to Interlochen (a performing arts camp in Michigan) and I will be away for a month beginning this Saturday. We don't have computer access at the camp, so this is going to be my last update until I return in mid-July. I've left you with a nice long chapter to make up for all those shorties. Thanks to all my faithful reviewers! I'll miss you! You can expect an update as soon as I get back.]

"I'm going to work. Bye, Rog!" Mimi shouted from the apartment door.

"Wait. I'm going by the café anyway. I'll walk you," Roger offered as he slipped a hand around her waist.

Mimi surprised him when she pulled away quickly. "Uh . . .no, that's ok. Really. You don't have to do that."

"But I want to," he said, slightly offended.

Mimi sighed as they made their way out the door and hoped that she was think of some excuse to go to the Cat Scratch Club before they got to the café.

Roger motioned to the messenger bag Mimi had slung over her shoulder. "Why do you have to take all that shit to work all the time?"

"Just a change of clothes . . .and stuff."

"Let my carry it. That looks heavy." He lifted the strap from her shoulder.

"No! I mean, no thanks. I'm fine." She pulled back.

"Mimi, what's going on with you? You can tell me." Roger grabbed hold of the strap and pulled harder just as Mimi let go. The force sent him banging into a nearby dumpster.

Mimi hurried over to him. "Sorry . . ."

Roger winced and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm ok."

Mimi inhaled sharply when she saw that the contents of her messenger bag were strewn across the sidewalk. She quickly picked them up shoving them haphazardly into the bag.

Roger reached out to help her when a familiar color of silk caught his eye. "What are you doing with this?" He held up Mimi's old costume that she used wear at the Cat Scratch Club. It was a disgustingly tight pink leotard complete with fringe and sequins.

Mimi wanted to let it all spill out right then and there like the clothing and costumes spread across the sidewalk, but her thoughts of the consequences allowed another lie to slip through her lips. "I was throwing this stuff away. I just found it the other day. Roger, I'm sorry, I just didn't want you to see it. That part of my life is over now." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and stared at the sidewalk, unable to meet his eyes.

"Meems, it's ok." He put his arms around her and kissed the curve between her neck and shoulder. "I know you wouldn't go back to that shithole. I trust you."

Mimi wanted to crawl under a rock. _I trust you_. Those words were too much to bear, but she knew that if she said something now Roger's reaction would be worse than she could imagine. There was no getting out. She had already been sucked in to a world of lies.

__

I don't deserve this, Mimi thought to herself. _I don't deserve_ him.  
---------------------------------------------  
  
"Roger told me what happened. Why did you do that to yourself?" Kelly asked as she poured herself some cereal.

Collins shrugged and avoided her concerned gaze.

Kelly tried again. "Collins, I know you miss Angel. I know that it's hard. But drugs aren't going to make it any easier. I'd think an intelligent man like you wouldn't resort to that."

"I was desperate, alright? I was ready to do anything to get my mind off her . . .just for one moment. Just enough to make me happy. And I _was_ happy for a while . . .until it wore off." He propped his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands. "You're happy. You have Mark. Mimi has Roger. Maureen has . . .well at least Maureen has something to live for. I'm left with nothing. You _don't know_, Kelly. You don't know what this is like."

For a fleeting moment, Kelly lost all sympathy for the melancholy man sitting before her. "Well, did you ever think that maybe you're not the only person to lose someone? They lost Angel, too! They loved her in a different way, but it was love all the same."

"You didn't know Angel!" he yelled accusingly.

"But I knew someone like her. Someone really important to me. And I didn't turn to drugs when I lost her!" She sank back into her chair and the room suddenly went quiet. "I'm sorry," Kelly whispered. "I wasn't thinking . . .I-I did the same thing."

"You indulged yourself with drugs?"

"No. I turned to sex. But Collins, it didn't help anything. It only made things worse. If only I could have seen it before it happened . . ."

He put an arm around her trembling shoulders. "Before what happened?"

"Nothing. It's not important now. Listen, I have to go meet Maureen so . . ."

"You don't have to talk about it. Go ahead and meet Maureen before she bites your head off for being late. She almost killed Roger with a plastic bowl the other night. Don't ask."

-----------------------------------------------

"Ok, I'm officially not doing this. I'm leaving. Bye!" Maureen flew out the door of the department store, but Kelly grabbed her by the arms.

"Do you really want to spend the next few months in Mark's old T-shirts?" Kelly teased. "Every piece of clothing you own is either skin-tight or see-through or it lacks so much coverage that it can't be identified as clothing. And pregnant women don't look good in mini skirts or leather pants either."

Maureen pouted. "Well, I've given up on leather anyway. Save the cows."

"Since when are you an animal rights activist?"

"Since now. Besides, I like cows."

Mimi entered behind them. "Sorry I'm late. I was at work. And what's with the cow thing? I'm still having nightmares about when you were vegetarian for-what was it? -two days."

"It was a good idea!" Maureen protested.

"Not when we had to hide the hot dogs and buy soy milk. That stuff is awful." Mimi cringed at the memory. "It made Roger sick."

"On a happier note," Kelly cut in, "shall we do some shopping?"

"You call this shopping? I call it torture. Look at this tempting stuff!" Maureen browsed through a rack of sheer tops.

Mimi dragged her away. "No. Nothing tight. Nothing see-through. That's for me." She grinned as grabbed a size small in lime green and steered Maureen to the section with maternity clothes.

"This looks like something my mother would wear," she said as she lifted a violet shirt with pink hearts from its hanger. Maureen tossed it back onto the rack with a disgusted expression.

"Maybe because this is the clothing section for-gee, I dunno-mothers?" Kelly giggled at the gigantic pair of jeans she held in her hands.

"But I'm not like that! I'm not Little Miss Soccer Mom. I have _style and individuality._" Maureen motioned to Mimi's lime green top still on the hanger.

"Then I guess you'll have to stifle your individuality for the next three months." Mimi tossed her a pile of T-shirts. "These aren't so bad. But I thought the ones with the dancing teddy bears would be _quite_ a turn on."  
-------------------------------------------------------

"What are you doing here?" was Maureen's greeting when she found Joanne in the Loft after her shopping expedition.

"Hi, Joanne! How are you?" Kelly smiled sweetly, glaring at Maureen. "_Behave_," she whispered.

Joanne ignored Maureen's manners for once and turned to Kelly and Mimi. "I was just talking to Roger. He's helping Shannan and I with some boxes for the new apartment." Roger nodded from behind the refrigerator door.

"_What new apartment_?" Maureen raised an eyebrow.

"Shannan and I are moving back into this building together."

"Why aren't you still living with Shannan in _her_ fancy apartment? Did she lose her job?" Maureen asked almost hopefully.

Joanne laughed. "No, she still has her job as editor, but Shannan has been asked to begin writing her own columns for Hot Kiss. The company has decided to do some new things with the magazine rather than the typical topics of fashion and celebrities, so Shannan will be spending a lot of time writing about the arts."

"Can't she walk across the street to her big fancy Broadway theatre to do that?" Maureen spat.

"Shannan is writing about art in the East Village. It would give the magazine a more cutting-edge feel to it rather than old-style Broadway. She thought it would be interesting to live here for a while for . . .inspiration. And since I once lived in this building we decided to move back here. It isn't nearly as nice as her old place, but with a bit of decorating I'm sure it will be just fine for the two of us. Besides, I'll get to spend more time with friends."

Maureen dropped her shopping bag. "Wait. Whoa . . .hold on. _This _building? As in this very same building that I'm living in right now? No way. I can't deal with that." She added as an afterthought, "OR these clothes!" Maureen tossed the bag on the ground. "I'm going for a walk." She stomped out of the room.  
_  
Slam._

"And DON'T follow me!" Maureen screamed up the stairwell.

Mimi glanced at the others. "Should I . . .?"

"No," they said in unison.

Roger made an attempt to escape from the silence. "I think I'll go get Collins and Mark to help me take care of those boxes."  
------------------------------------------------

The wind whipped Maureen's curls wildly around her face as she pushed the speed limit on her motorcycle. The last time she had ridden her motorcycle was the night of her protest two years ago. She hadn't been on it since, because Joanne had told her that it was a "ridiculous and dangerous way to get around." Maureen was surprised she could even reach the handlebars with her stomach resting in front of her, but when she found that it was easy enough for her to get on she took off to an unknown destination.

"Anywhere but here," Maureen muttered to herself.

She knew that she had made a completely idiotic and melodramatic scene back at the Loft. _It's what I'm known for_, she reminded herself. She had done nothing but enhance the reputation she had been trying so hard to get rid of. She wanted so badly to change. Maureen had always thought that if she were a bit more serious or gossiped less or tried to cut down on the drama maybe then Joanne would want her back. But that plan was ruined, thanks to "Miss Prissy," formerly known as Shannan.

Maureen felt the baby kick and had to stop, so she pulled over into the park and sat down on a bench. Tears clouded her eyes.  
  
"Don't cry, Maureen. Don't be a baby. _Don't_ be a drama queen."

Her personal pep talk failed, and the tears began to fall. Maureen must have been sitting there for over an hour hating Shannan, hating Joanne, _hating_ maternity clothes, and despising the universe for dumping a load of problems on her instead of somebody else.

She looked up and was surprised to find Joanne standing there. "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you ask me the same thing a few hours ago?"

"I told you not to follow me. Where's Mimi? I want to talk to Mimi."

"Well, I did follow you. Mimi and Roger are helping Shannan move in. Mind if I join you?"

Maureen didn't bother to reply, so Joanne took the liberty of sitting beside her. "She's really not that bad, you know." Joanne was referring to Shannan. Maureen didn't answer. "I know you hate me right now but . . ."

Maureen mumbled something.

"What?"

"I don't hate you." Her voice came out in a whisper. "I try to hate you. I try really hard. I feel like I'm supposed to. But I can't. It's too hard because. . ." Maureen stopped.

"Why?"

"Because I never stopped loving you."

Joanne could think of nothing to say.

"I know it's my fault. If I hadn't done anything with Jeff then you never would have left, you never would have met Shannan, and we wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation."

"Maureen, don't blame-"

"I _have_ to blame myself!"

Joanne tried to put an arm around Maureen's trembling shoulders. "Leave me alone!" She turned away, still crying. She felt the baby kick again. "Ow."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine!"

"You don't seem ok . . ."

"I told you I'm-ow! Damnit, that hurts." Maureen finally allowed Joanne to awkwardly put an arm around her shoulders. It was the first time Joanne had touched her since the night they broke up.

Joanne rubbed Maureen's back slowly. "That better?"

"Mmhmm." Maureen was in a complete daze. When the shock of being in Joanne's arms had worn off, she rested her head contently on her shoulder. Joanne still smelled the same, Maureen noticed. She was wearing the same cologne. I had an almost masculine scent -nothing too girly. Maureen remembered the blanket she had back at the Loft. It was the one she hadn't washed after Joanne left. It still smelled like that cologne, and whenever Maureen was upset she would wrap it around herself and suddenly feel safe. But this wasn't pretend. This was real. This time Joanne was there. "Joanne . . .if you hadn't met Shannan . . .would we still be together?"

"I don't know." Joanne hugged her tighter. "You know I love you, Maureen but . . ."

"I know. And I don't hate Shannan . . .it just hurts to see you with her. I get so jealous and then I say things I don't mean and then I end up making a big scene like I always do."

It was dark by now. The only light came from the street lamps and the crescent moon that hung overhead. If it weren't for the distant hum of traffic, Maureen would have thought she was somewhere else far away from New York. Somewhere in her dreams. A light drizzle of rain began to fall, and Maureen shivered.

"Let's not sit out here in the rain." Joanne motioned to Maureen's motorcycle. "You drove that thing here?"

Maureen nodded sheepishly.

"You'll come close to killing yourself if you drive that thing home. I'll take you. Climb on board." Joanne surprised Maureen when she swung a leg over the motorcycle and motioned for Maureen to hop on behind her.

"You know how to drive it?"

"You taught me last summer, remember?"

"And you hated it," Maureen giggled, climbing on.

"Well, maybe it's time for me to broaden my horizons. Hold on."  
  
Joanne started the motorcycle with a roar.  
  
_And as a harvest moon rose over Cyberland, we reared back. We sprang into a gallop. Leaping out of orbit, I awoke singing._

-----------------------------------------------------

Joanne walked Maureen up the stairs to the Loft. It was almost a perfect evening. No, they weren't a couple, but there was a mutual understanding between the two that their friendship was worth something more. They heard Mimi's voice coming from behind the apartment door and stopped. Something sounded wrong.

"Listen, we told you not to come back here. Just leave her alone. Please."

"She has something that's mine and I want it back," a man's voice said.

"She's really upset and when she comes home to find you here . . .would you just leave? I'll do anything to make you leave."

"Anything? Hmmm. Is Roger home?"

"The guys are downstairs," Mimi answered, and then realized what she had just said. "I mean . . ."

"Oh, so no one is home? That's just fine. I see you strip at the club every night. I think I need a personal show. What's wrong? You do it all the time for a crowd. Maureen wasn't this shy." The man laughed.

"Don't touch me!"

Maureen and Joanne heard something hit the floor. "Mimi!" They threw open the door to find Mimi on the ground with a man looming over her.

"Get away from her!" Maureen screamed, lunging for the man's back. Joanne held tight to her arm.

Jeff turned around. "Maureen. What a pleasant surprise. Aren't you going to wish me a Happy Fathers' Day?"

------------------------------------------------  
[Can't you just _feel_ the scary music?]


	27. Horror Movie

[A/N: I'm BAAAaaack finally. The camp was amazing. Right when I got back I went on a family vacation and I've been busy ever since. So now I actually have an update for you all.]

"I won't bother to mess with lawyers. I can get what I want in my own way," Jeff said over his shoulder to Maureen. He didn't move any further from Mimi who was still trembling on the floor. "After the baby is born she will come to live with me."

"And what if I refuse to let that happen?" Maureen asked with make-believe confidence.

"Then I get to have some fun with your little friend." Jeff nudged Mimi sharply in the ribs with the heel of his shoe. She winced, but didn't make a sound.

Joanne stepped forward. "What do you want with her baby? You have no use for a-"

"I DO have use for a child. You have no idea how perfect it would be. . .it would make it so easy . . ." Jeff swayed on his feet a bit. He seemed to be under the influence of drugs. Maureen remembered what had happened the last time a drunk man was present in the Loft. Mimi looked up at her, eyes wide with fear, and Maureen could sense that she, too, was thinking of that night . . .

"Make what easy?" Maureen tightened her grip on Joanne's hand.

"My business. No, no, not this whole 'agent' persona. Something else. It's hard being a drug dealer when you look like one."

"You . . .I didn't know that you . . ." Maureen struggled to comprehend the words coming from Jeff's sneering mouth. The fact that he was a drug dealer explained a lot, but what this had to do with her unborn child was still partially unknown. "You can't use my baby for that. You can't . . .you won't . . ." She broke out of her daze and turned sharply to Joanne. "Call the police. Now!"

Joanne dove for the phone but Jeff got there first, and in a swift motion he pulled a knife from his back pocket and slashed the wire. The three women stood motionless.

"I'll scream," Maureen said suddenly. "I'll scream so fucking loud that the whole damn city will come running."

Jeff yanked Mimi roughly from the floor and held the knife to her throat. "If you scream it will be too late."  
  
Maureen felt as though she were watching a scene from a bad horror movie. Either her fear or her shock of the situation caused a brief, seemingly pointless memory from several years ago to flash through her mind.

__

Maureen giggled as Joanne pretended to shield her eyes for the gory images on the screen.

"Pookie, stop! I want to see this!"

Joanne rolled her eyes. "It's disgusting."

"But this is my favorite movie!"

"I don't want to wake up to your screaming at 2 AM. Remember last time . . ."

"THAT was LAST time. This time is different."

Collins entered the Loft. "What are you two arguing about?"

"Joanne won't let me watch scary movies because she think she's my mother," Maureen pouted.

Collins cringed as the hooded man in the movie moved his chainsaw closer the his victim's throat.

"Where were you anyway, Collins?" Joanne asked to distract herself from the movie.

"Meeting a friend."  
  
"A . . . friend?" Maureen snickered.

"Not that kind of friend! His name is Jeff. He's just helping me out for a while."

Maureen was absorbed once again by the movie. "With what?" she asked distractedly.  
  
She never noticed when Collins left the Loft without a reply.

Maureen snapped back into reality, still wondering what this brief memory had to do with anything that was going on. Jeff tightened his grip on Mimi who didn't bother to struggle. Joanne studied him for a moment. His eyes seemed glazed and blood-shot. She leaned closer to Maureen.  
  
"Mimi's cell phone is in her bag on the couch. We can find a way to get it," she said in a tone so low Maureen could just barely make out the words.  
  
Maureen glanced at Jeff and was relieved that he was preoccupied with Mimi and hadn't seen or heard them whispering. She thought of a plan. It was time to put her acting flair to good use.  
  
"Oh . . .owww . . ."she groaned, clutching her stomach. Maureen saw the worry in Joanne's eyes, but she winked at her to just play along. Joanne nodded quickly just as Jeff turned to see what was going on.

"Honey bear! What's wrong?" Joanne exclaimed in a believable tone.

"I . . ." Maureen hadn't thought about this part. "Uh . . .I'm having a contraction! I'm going into labor!"

Jeff looked concerned for a moment, then shook his head. "Relax, Maureen. It's much too early."  
  
"The doctor said that it was a high possibility she would go into premature labor," Joanne said, thinking quickly. Maureen continued groaning dramatically. "We have to call the hospital!"

"But the phone line . . ." Maureen wailed.

Jeff swallowed. It was easy to tell that this situation was making him very uncomfortable. He dropped Mimi to the floor and made his way over to Maureen.

Mimi had no idea that her friend was merely acting. "Mo . . .oh my god, are you ok?"

"Um, come here. Lie down on the couch for a little while." Jeff pulled Maureen up from her doubled-over position. She sat on the couch holding her side and heaving massive breaths. Joanne sat next to her

She peeked in Mimi's purse and pretended to be surprised. "I forgot about the cell phone! Jeff, please, you have to let us use this phone. We have to call a doctor for Maureen." Jeff hesitated. "Please, Jeff! Something could be wrong with the baby."  
  
This seemed to somewhat convince him. "J-just call . . .but when that baby is born, it's mine."  
  
Joanne seized the phone and went down the hall ("so she could hear above Maureen's moaning" was her excuse) while Jeff went back to threatening Mimi. Maureen wailed as loud as possible to cover up the sound of Joanne's voice while she dialed 911.  
-----------------------------------------------

"So you CAN act . . ." Roger mused as he, Mark, Mimi, and Maureen sat in the Loft the next morning brooding over last night's drama. The police had come swiftly after Joanne's call and Jeff was currently behind bars. Maureen gave the police the whole story in dramatic detail, leaving out the part about Jeff being the father of her baby.

"Shut up!" Maureen whacked Roger with a pillow. "I had to do something so he wouldn't murder your girlfriend."

Roger swallowed and pulled Mimi closer to him on his lap. He had been trying to avoid thinking about how Mimi had slipped from death's clutches once again. Mimi rested her head contently on his shoulder, trying to avoid the thought herself.

"It was pretty believable . . .you had me scared, Mo. I thought you were going to give birth in the Loft while a psycho drug dealer had me pinned to the floor." Mimi attempted to giggle quietly, but they all knew that she wasn't kidding.

Joanne entered with Shannan following cautiously behind her. She had her doubts about Maureen being civil with her.  
  
"We've finished unpacking," Joanne said a bit too cheerily, trying to lift their spirits after the havoc that occurred the evening before. She plopped down on the couch, pulling Shannan into her lap.

Everyone glanced nervously from Joanne and Shannan to Maureen wondering if she would have yet another outburst. Maureen said nothing and gave Shannan a shy smile. Mimi looked at Roger and shrugged, unsure of how things had been resolved between the love triangle.

Shannan returned Maureen's smile with a slight look of confusion due to her kindness. "Well, I'm beginning to work on the article about art in the East Village. Roger, I was wondering if you could tell me about your band . . .the Well Hungarians, is that it?"

Roger perked up a bit and was happy to brag about the music they were currently working on.  
  
Kelly trailed in. "Anyone seen Collins?"  
  
They shook their heads. She sighed.

"He hasn't been around . . . he doesn't know about anything that has happened. God, I'm really worried about him . . .and I was so worried about you guys when I heard what happened . . ."  
  
Mark walked over to Kelly and kissed her cheek gently. They were all surprised by his boldness. Usually Mark saved his intimacy until he was out of sight of the others. "They're fine now. And I'm sure Collins is fine. Don't worry so much." He pulled her toward him and she buried her face in his neck.  
  
---------------------------------------------

The Man was late. Collins paced back and forth through the alley, his fingers twitching. He needed some drugs and he needed them now. The withdrawal was more than he could handle. He remembered Kelly's warnings about turning to drugs . . .but the thoughts couldn't stifle his need. He recognized another man on the other side of the alley who appeared to be waiting as well.  
  
Collins walked over and greeted him. "Have you seen The Man?"

He shook his head. "He got into some trouble with the police. Something about harassing some girls . . .pulled a knife on them."

"Jeff did what?" Collins shuddered. "Maureen . . ."

"What?"

"I have to get back to my apartment. I haven't been home since yesterday afternoon . . .something could have happened . . ." He turned to race back to the Loft.

"Wait." The other man stopped him. "You have the cash?" He pulled a small paper bag from the pocket of his leather jacket. Collins shoved a handful of crumbled bills into his hand. Shoving the bag beneath his shirt, he hurried on his way.


	28. The Man

[A/N: Sorry about the delay, once again. Once school starts I'll probably update less, just to warn you. Thanks for all the great reviews!!!]

Maureen entered Collins' apartment cautiously, dressed in hot pink maternity pants and a T-shirt. "Hey . . .is Kelly here?"

"No, she's out with Mark," he replied between bites of cereal.  
  
"Oh, ok . . .I've been wanting to talk to you about something." Maureen eased herself into the chair next to him and placed one elbow on the table. She drummed her long nails nervously on the tabletop. Collins could tell that something was wrong, and he immediately put down his spoon and waited for her to start talking.

"The other day I remembered something . . .I don't know why, it just came to me. It was a year or two ago and you said that you had a friend helping you out with something. You never mentioned what it was, but you said his name was Jeff and . . ." Maureen stopped, calming herself. ". . . and I've been thinking about the time I was at Jeff's apartment and you were there. You told me to stay away from him and you wouldn't say why."

Collins swallowed and stared at the floor. He couldn't meet Maureen's eyes.

Maureen reached across the table and touched his hand. "Collins? Please, you have to tell me how you knew Jeff . . .I just need to know. You knew he was an asshole before I did. God, I should have listened to you." She looked away for a moment fight against the tears welling up in her eyes. "Please talk to me."

He made no reply.

"He was the father of my _baby_, Collins! I think I have a right to know! _Please_."

It wasn't her anger that caused Collins to speak. It was the pleading of her voice that made him want to tell her everything. Almost everything.

"After Angel died I became a recluse. I was enveloped in my own grief, and I planned to stay that way. Finally I was tired of it. I wanted happiness, but I couldn't make it myself, so I turned to artificial happiness. I started going to The Man for drugs."

"So did Jeff get drugs from The Man too?"

"Jeff was the one I was getting them from."

Maureen put her head in her hands. "Wait . . .hold on. Jeff is The Man?" Collins nodded gravely. "Oh my god. Why didn't you tell me who he was? Maybe I would have listened . . ."

"I _did_ warn you, Maureen."

"Well I could have known he was a drug dealer! That might have been nice to tell me," she snapped. The regret and fury burning inside her turned to sadness as realization washed over her. "The father of my baby is The Man . . .well this just makes everything wonderful." Maureen closed her eyes as though expecting everything to go away.

Collins watched her struggle with her emotions sympathetically. "I'm so sorry, Maureen . . ." He sighed. "When Jeff found out you were pregnant he wanted your baby. He's used them before. A guy with a baby doesn't look as suspicious . . .that's what he told me."

Maureen regained her anger. "And you knew about all this? And you never told me?"

"I _couldn't_ tell you, Maureen."

"Why not?"

"I knew you'd react like this . . ."  
  
"I may be a drama queen, but for ONCE I have a damn right to act like this!"  
  
Collins lost his calm disposition. "You were going through enough! I just didn't want to make things worse for you-"

Maureen rolled her eyes at him angrily. "Well you sure as hell did!"

"I'm sorry! What was I supposed to do? Tell you I was drug addict like Roger and Mimi were? I was supposed to learn from their example, but I didn't and I was too ashamed . . ."  
  
Maureen was silent for a moment. "Are you still . . ." she ventured.  
  
"No," Collins said quickly. "I don't do drugs anymore. That part of my life is over." He hated lying to her again, but Collins convinced himself that it was for her own good.

She let out a sigh of relief. "Good." Instead of yelling at him once more, Maureen surprised Collins when she grabbed him by the arm and hugged him tightly. "Don't you ever lie to me again," she murmured, but there was no fiercness in her voice. Maureen spoke to him gently, as though making up for their previous screaming match.

"Well I should get going. Ever since we found out about this Band Wars thing Mikey has been schedueling practices like crazy." She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Take care of yourself, ok?"

"Scott quit," Ed, the drummer, told Roger as he entered his apartment for a band rehearsal.

"What?" Roger almost dropped his guitar case. "Why?"

"He eloped with some chick he met at a club. Can you believe that?"

Roger shook his head. "Sounds like Scott . . .but who's playing bass now? Band Wars is coming up and we've been planning to blow the roof off that place. Without Scott-"

"Don't worry about it, Rog. I already found a replacement." Ed looked up at the doorway. "Hey, Schyler, c'mon in."  
  
A young, blonde man with spiked hair and a nose ring walked in carrying a red bass guitar and an amp. He looked like he was about 17.

"No . . .no way. He's a kid!" Roger glared at Ed. "There is no way we can work with him- he hasn't gone through puberty yet!"

"Hey man, I'm right here," Schyler looked uneasy.

Ed grinned. "Schyler, how 'bout you play a little something for Roger to convince him." Schyler picked up his bass. "No, no, not with that. Do something on the guitar, that oughta impress him."  
  
Roger reluctantly handed over his Fender guitar and Schyler started to play. The kid was incredible.

"Fine, he's in," Roger said, feeling competitive. "But only for Band Wars. That's it."

Mimi walked off stage that night at the Cat Scratch Club to find Bud waiting for her.

"You're doing a nice job. I like your stuff," he said with a cigar in his mouth.

Mimi couldn't make herself thank him. Her "stuff" was dancing seductively around stage while slowly stripping herself of all clothing and dignity. She hated herself for doing it.

"Listen," Bud went on after a moment of silence, "We're adding some new dance numbers and I want you to be our star, how 'bout that?"

Mimi rolled her eyes at him. "If it involves a bigger paycheck I'll do it."

"Looks like you've got yourself some extra bucks."

"So what are these dance numbers for?"

Bud tapped the end of his cigar sending ashes to the already dirty floor. "The club is having a special event in a week or so. I haven't been told much about it. It's some competition. I want you here early tomorrow to learn the dance, alright? We've got something special choreographed for you."

Mimi nodded and left for the dressing room to change, wondering exactly how "special" her dance number would be.


	29. The Trouble With Love

A/N: Well that was quite a long wait. I got busy with school and had no inspiration at all to write, but it's all good now! I was hoping to finish this by November, but I doubt that's going to happen. Anywho, please keep reading and I'll try to update a LOT faster. Sorry for the shortness!

"Mark!" Kelly bounded down the hall like a happy puppy. She opened the door to Mark's bedroom to find him napping on his bed. Kelly flopped onto his chest, instantly waking him up.

"What the . . .?" Mark pretended to be irritated, but he couldn't help but smile after waking up with Kelly on top of him.

"I'm going to an audition!" She bounced on him, causing Mark to gasp for air.

"Whoa, whoa, you're more hyper than Maureen on caffeine. So what's this all about?"

Kelly gave him the short version of the story, talking a mile a minute. Open auditions were being held for the national tour of _Cats _and they were looking for people with lots of dance experience and vocal training in her age range.

"So I need an audition song by next week . . .Maureen will have sheet music . . .oh God, Mark this is my chance! I know Cats like the back of my hand. I must have watched the movie a million times during high school and I know more than half the choreography." Kelly let out a sound that could be loosely identified as a squeal.

Mark hugged her tightly and kissed her on the forehead. "You're going to be great."

Kelly meowed and nuzzled his shoulder.

"Good kitty."

--------------------------------------------------------

Kelly explained about her audition to Maureen who pulled out a box of music books. "Soprano or alto?" she asked, sounding professional.

"Soprano."

Maureen shuffled through the pile. "Damnit, where is it?" She walked over to the closet. "Ow . . .I think my feet swelled. Ugh, I can't deal with my feet now. I have another rehearsal."

"You guys have been working hard lately."

"Yeah. Band Wars. I wanted to do it but not when I feel like this." She groaned as she tried to lean over and reach a box in the closet. "Pain ruins the essence of my vocal quality. I sound like a dying cow."

"Oh, let me help you with that . . ." Kelly picked up the box and carried it back to the couch. "You sit down and rest."

"You sound like my mother."

"You'll sound like one soon enough." Kelly flipped through the pages of Broadway Ballads Volume II. She paused. "A dying _cow_?"

Maureen laughed at her delayed reaction. "Nevermind."

Kelly circled a few bars of music. "You've always had a thing for cows."

"How would you know?"

"You've mooed in your sleep. On many occasions."

Maureen blushed slightly. "At least I don't moan like Mark does. I'm just always dreaming about the protest . . .probably because that's when Joanne and I were still together." She sighed heavily.

Kelly looked up from her music book. "You still miss her?"

"A lot."

"Honey, sometime you're going to have to get over Joanne."

"But she still loves me! I know she does! She tried to protect me when we found Jeff in the Loft . . .Joanne didn't want me to get hurt." Maureen sniffled. "And that time she found me at the park . . .she put her arms around me and it felt so _right._ Joanne felt it too. I know she did."

"Joanne has Shannan right now. You'll find someone eventually."

"But I need someone _now_! And I don't need just anyone. I need Joanne. She used to always chase after me . . .now I'm the one chasing after her and it hurts so much."

Kelly hugged her and stroked her hair. There was no way she could convince Maureen to give up on Joanne, and she didn't plan on trying. She could let Maureen have her fantasy or she could hurt her even more. Kelly couldn't bear to do either, so she remained silent.

"The baby's kicking," Maureen whispered. Kelly didn't known whether she was trying to change the subject or just put an end to the silence.

"Have you come up with any names yet?"

"No . . .you know how I procrastinate. But I have two months to think about that. God, it doesn't seem very long, does it? Everything is going to be so different now."

--------------------------------------------------------------

"How's the article coming, Honey Bear?" Joanne leaned over Shannan's shoulder and examined the notebook she had been scribbling in for over two hours.

Shannan sighed and glanced over her opening paragraph critically. "Hmm . . .well this was definitely a good idea for a story. But it needs something more. I've covered Roger's band and talked about Mark's films and the girl across the hall helped me out with visual arts. There's just a piece of the puzzle missing. It doesn't capture the essence of art in the East Village."

"What about performance art?" Joanne suggested. "Maureen would be more than happy to tell you about it. And you could write a bit about the protest, you know, the one I told you about. It would really give the readers a feel for the life of a starving artist."

"You know how I feel about you and that woman, Joanne. I'm not interviewing her. She's a bitch, and that's why you broke up with her."

Joanne tried to reason with her girlfriend. "We're just friends! And you can't blame her for the mood swings . . ."

"That wasn't a mood swing. That was bitchiness. Why have you started spending so much time with her anyway?" Shannan started twirling her hair around a finger. This was a definite sign of irritation.

"Because she's my friend and she needs me. Please don't be jealous, Honey Bear. I don't have feelings for Maureen anymore."

Shannan sniffed. "Well you certainly act like you do."

"She cheated on me with her agent! How could I love a woman who did that?"

Shannan ignored her and wrote some more in her notebook. "Sometimes I feel like you love her more than me."

"Don't say that, baby, of course I love you." Joanne kissed her on the cheek. Shannan finally gave in and rested her head on her lover's shoulder.

__

I don't love Maureen, Joanne told herself. _Or do I?_

As Michelle says . . .the plot thickens!


	30. Life Goes On

A/N: Wow, I am actually updating on time. Aren't you all shocked? Well you should be!

"The autumn months are settling in like the floorboards of this building . . .slowly creaking into place creating dents, bumps, and sometimes holes," Mark dictated as he filmed from the window of the Loft. He went over his words critically. "No. Too metaphorical. It sounds like something from Maureen's performance art."

"Well I think it was brilliant," Kelly said, kissing his cheek.

"HEY, I HEARD THAT!" And they certainly heard Maureen screaming at the top of her lungs from the stairs leading up to the Loft.

Mark turned his camera back on. "The seasons swing back and forth, up and down . . .like Maureen's mood swings. Never ending. Ever."

Maureen flung the door open and dragged her enormous self to the couch where she flopped down as though she was involved in a Shakespearean death scene. "I can be a bitch I want to. I'm tired as hell. They just can't get it through their shaved, tattooed heads that this rehearsal schedule does not work well with the life of a pregnant woman. It's insanity. I can't work with these people! I want a real job! And no matter what I do she won't stop kicking. She just keeps going and going like the fucking Energizer Bunny and I can't take this anymore!" Maureen completed this melodramatic monologue with a heavy sigh.

Mark adjusted the camera lens. "Zoom in on Maureen as she sucks all the happiness out of the room and exhales that relaxing essence of stress that seems to trail behind her like a cloud of smoke, suffocating those poor souls who . . ."

"MARK WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!"

Kelly tugged at Mark's sleeve. "I really don't think this is a good time . . ."

"I want Joanne," Maureen pouted. "I want Mimi. I never see her anymore. And Collins."

"Mimi's at work again and Collins is . . .well, I don't know where he is," Kelly said.

"And once again the world is against me. Maybe I'll get lucky and die in my sleep."

--------------------------------------------

Mark and Kelly had gone out, Mimi was at work, and Roger had the apartment to himself aside from Maureen who had fallen asleep on the couch two hours ago. The phone rang and Roger pulled the cord as far as he could into the kitchen so he wouldn't wake Maureen. She would most likely wake up with a fresh dictionary of bitchy comments.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rog, it's Ed. There's a place set up for Band Wars. The Cat Scratch Club. You need directions?"

"No . . .I know how to get there . . ."

"Ok. Just wanted to let you know. I'll see you at practice."

"Bye."

Roger put down the phone. The Cat Scratch Club? He knew Mimi had bad memories about that place and he wasn't planning on bringing them back. Roger couldn't just ditch the gig, so he decided not to mention it to anyone—particularly Mimi.

Several hours later when the rest of the gang was back at the Loft, they received another phone call. This time it was for Maureen.

Mimi nudged her gently. "Mo, wake up."

Maureen opened one eye groggily, still dreaming. "Joanne? Baby, is that you?"

"Snap out of it. It's just me. There's a guy from your band on the phone." She handed it to Maureen.

"Hello?" she yawned.

"Hey. Mimi said you were out cold. Sorry to wake you up."

"You better be," Maureen mumbled. "Please don't tell me you're setting up another rehearsal."

"No. I'm just telling you about Band Wars. It's at the Cat Scratch Club."

"Oh?" Maureen had heard the name of the club many times before. It was notoriously known for its female strippers, and Maureen had actually wandered in there before to find herself mesmerized by one of the dancers. She had to force herself to leave. She knew that Mimi had worked there, and the thought made her shudder. The place was crawling with druggies and, according to local gossip, rapists and prostitutes. That part of Mimi's life was over, she knew, and she couldn't bear to bring Mimi's past to the surface. There was no way she could tell Mimi about this . . .and she couldn't bail out.

"So you keep working on that last song we did today and we'll go over it again at practice, alright?"

"Sure thing," Maureen lied, knowing that she wouldn't sing a note in this state of exhaustion. "Bye."

"What was that about?" Mimi asked.

"Oh, just another gig lined up." Maureen decided to distract her from her lies with another comment. "I thought you didn't have work today. Where were you?"

"Just putting in some extra hours."  
  
If Mark had been more observant he would have felt the self-hate and lies absorbing the room, filling in the cracks with the dust of myths growing out of control.  
  
Instead, Mark chose to occupy himself by filming Kelly and Collins as they attempted to swing dance.

"One, two, rock step. One, two . . .Collins, you're supposed to be leading."

"Please remind me why we're doing this."

"Because I'm in the mood to dance other than the stuff I've been working on for the Cats audition. I'd make Mark be my partner, but I'd end up with broken toes."

Mark blushed. "I'm not that awful. I just don't know where to step."

His words were lost in the sound of Kelly's counting.

"One, two, rock step. One, two, you've got it!"

"Angel used to take me dancing . . ." Collins said suddenly. The room seemed to grow colder.

"You can come with us, Collins," Kelly said earnestly as though it would ease his pain. "It'll be a lot of fun."

"I really don't want to dance any more. I'm going to get some work done." He left silently, leaving Kelly staring and Mark filming an empty doorway.

Mimi sighed. "I don't understand it. He was so happy for a while. It just drained out of him."  
  
Mark turned on his camera. "We are left with an empty doorway. It is a reminder that life goes on and so does love."

__

Life does go on, Maureen thought to herself as she felt the baby kick. Her thoughts drifted to Joanne. _But what about love?_


	31. Cat Fight

A/N: Yep. It's been a while. Sorry about that . . .high school is way too busy. If you don't remember the story line, Mimi has been hiding her job at the Cat Scratch Club from Roger. Roger and Maureen are both performing at the Cat Scratch Club, and they have kept this from Mimi and each other. Major turmoil.

"Mmm . . .Joanne baby . . ." Maureen rolled over on her side, half-asleep.

"Wake up." Mimi nudged her.

Maureen continued to ramble on in her sleep. "Go away Shannan . . .she's mine."

"It's Mimi. Get your ass off the couch. You have to be at your gig in a few hours."

Maureen opened her eyes groggily. "Damnit."

"Sounded like you were having a nice dream." Mimi grinned.

This seemed to wake Maureen up. ". . .what are you talking about?"

"Oh . . nothing . . ." Mimi skipped over to the kitchen and started making some lunch. Her tone changed a bit when she said, "You really miss her." It was more of a statement than a question. Everyone knew that Maureen was falling at her ex-girlfriend's feet, but Mimi seemed to be the only one who understood much how.

Maureen nodded and collapsed back onto the couch. "Somebody's excited today." Maureen rubbed her side, wincing slightly. "She knows we've got a big performance coming up."

Mimi's mind wandered to the performance **she** would be involved in tonight. "Yeah . . ."

"I'm so nervous. I haven't been able to eat all day. I think I might throw up."

"You'll be fine. You always get like this."

"I still can't believe I'm doing this. I'm way too far along to perform with a rock band. The lead singer is supposed to be sexy, you know? Pregnant women can't be sexy . . .except for the fact that our boobs swell bigger than our heads. I still don't have anything to wear."

"Hmm," Mimi eyed her thoughtfully. "Come here, I'll help you get ready."

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Mark, be honest, what do you think of it this way?" Kelly sang the first line of her audition song for the millionth time.

"I told you, it's fine. I like it," Mark insisted truthfully.

"You're just saying that because you're my boyfriend. You have to say that."

Mark smiled. He always did when Kelly referred to him as her "boyfriend." The word felt so right.

"Fine. Don't believe me. Ask Roger the music genius."

"Has Roger ever performed a showtune in his life?"

Mark thought a moment. "Well, no . . ."

"My point exactly."

"Well neither have I!"

"You at least appreciate theatre."

Kelly had been snapping at him a bit lately, but Mark didn't think twice. She was nervous about the audition tonight, and besides, their little bickering was nothing compared to what went on between Maureen and him.

"Hey Kelly, check me out!" Maureen appeared looking very . . .

"Dear Lord," Mark murmured, and proceeded to turn on his camera.

Maureen proudly modeled the outfit and she Mimi had put together. A purple tube top clung to her over-sized chest with turquoise fringe coming down over her equally over-sized stomach which had been decorated with body glitter and stick-on jewels in a circular pattern.

"That's hot!" Kelly giggled.

"Isn't it?" Maureen grinned.

Mark pointed his camera at Maureen's outlandish guise. "Zoom in on Maureen, the definition of a Fashion _Don't_ with a gut the size of a beach ball and breasts the size of . . ." He paused, searching for the word.

"Basketballs?" Mimi offered.

"No . . .watermelons. Breasts the size of watermelons," Mark finished.

Kelly grinned slyly. "So what about me?"

"Oranges," Maureen giggled. "No . . .something flatter. Orange_ peels_."

Kelly shoved her. "I didn't ask you. I asked Mark."

Mark's ears turned pink. "Er . . .grapefruits." Kelly looked slightly disappointed. "Really, really big grapefruits."

Kelly threw her arms around his neck and kissed his blushing cheek. "I've got to get going soon. I have to get ready for my audition."

"And I've gotta get out there and rock. Break a leg, hun!" Maureen called on her way out the door.

The place was packed. Maureen was glad Mimi didn't know she was at the Cat Scratch Club. She would have probably worried about her in this crowd. Maureen watched nervously as the other bands shuffled around backstage. Most of them had tattoos with suggestive phrases, shaved heads, or mohawks. All the guitarists were warming up, and she could barely hear herself think. Maureen looked around and realized she was the only woman there. A couple men flashed gold-toothed grins at her between puffs on their weed. That was when she began to think that maybe this wasn't such a great idea . . .

"Nervous?" The drummer from her band thumped her on the back a little too hard, surprising her.

"A little." It was the first time Maureen had ever felt meek in her life. She had become so paranoid about being in a roomful of men after her experience with Jeff and that night several months ago when she ran into a club full of pot smokers.

"Don't worry about it. You'll be great. Our band is original." He chuckled at that remark, and his beer-belly jiggled grotesquely beneath his black muscle shirt and leather vest.

"I'm not that nervous about screwing up . . .but this crowd isn't exactly what you'd find at the Hilton." Maureen twirled a strand of hair around her finger – one of her many nervous habits.

"I'm looking out for you. Don't let these guys scare you. They might look like tough druggies but really they're just . . .druggies. Listen, we left our extension cord in my truck. You think you could go get it? We're not on for a while."

Maureen nodded, grateful to get out of the crowded space.

As she pushed her way through the smoke-filled hallway she heard screams and whistles from the crowd out in the club. She slipped through a door into the club unnoticed to check out all the excitement.

There was a tall, red-haired dancer leaving the stage with nothing but a boa wrapped around her long limbs. Maureen's heart lept. She had been longing so much for a woman . . .any woman . . .

_Not tonight. Tonight you need to focus on your performance. You're not going to let yourself waste time watching these sluts who work here, _she told herself. But she couldn't help watching the next dancer who came on stage.

She was short and thin with perfectly toned muscles and a mass of curly hair. She had her back to Maureen who wished with all her heart that the woman would turn around to she could see her better.

The woman started dancing. Maureen was hypnotized. When the clothing started coming off, she thought she had better leave, but she was too entranced by this dancer to take her eyes away. Despite her conscience, Maureen walked closer. 

The woman turned and their eyes met. They were flirty eyes, smiling eyes, eyes that held a secret. And then her expression changed. It took Maureen a moment to clear her head with all the smoke. That dancer was all too familiar.

Mimi.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Mo, I'm really sorry, ok? Just let me explain. Please don't -"

"Just go away, damnit! Go back there with all your little whore friends and dance some more. Turn on all those guys out there and pray Roger doesn't find out. Then you can lie some more like you lied to me." Maureen tried desperately to get past the crowds of people. She didn't care if she missed her performance. "God, would you people move? Excuse me . . ." Maureen ran smack into a blonde man carrying a guitar. "Oh sorry, I . . .Roger."

He stared at her for a second. "Maureen? What are you . . .?" And then he saw her, shrinking back into the crowd. Roger saw the skimpy costume and elaborate make up and instantly knew what was going on.

He didn't have to say anything for Mimi to see the fear in his eyes quickly replaced by pure rage.

"Roger, baby, let me explain . . ." She reached out and touched his arm, but Roger yanked it away as though she would taint his skin with her lies.

"You lied to me." Roger said slowly, softly, through clenched teeth. "I don't believe this. I don't believe you did this!" His voice increased in volume. He glared at Mimi as though she were toxic. "I thought you changed . . .how long has this been going on, Mimi? Months . . .years? You're still the dirty whore you were before. I thought I meant more to you than that."

Maureen held her breath for a moment, worried that he would strike her friend. And then she remembered. . .Mimi wasn't her friend. Mimi wasn't anyone's friend. Friends don't lie. Mimi was afraid of Roger then, Maureen knew. She was thinking of the night he was high . . .the night Maureen ended up in the hospital and Mimi ended up with a painful bruise. And although Roger wasn't on drugs at the moment, his anger was frightening enough to make them both shiver.

"Roger . . ." Mimi looked at him with pleading eyes. "This isn't how it looks . . .really . . ." She turned desperately to Maureen. "Please."

And then a screaming match began. Maureen couldn't take it anymore. She just ran.


End file.
